Naruto: Strings and Theory - Shippuden Trials
by MixzremixzD
Summary: Puppeteer Naruto - continues from Naruto: Strings and Theory. It was supposed to be simple, in truth nothing ever is. His enemies now have his measure, and the stakes have changed. Orochimaru, Akatsuki, the Great Nations - And the mastermind behind them all The time for concealment is over. To become Hokage is to become the brightest of shadows.
1. Prologue

_**Hello Everyone, I'm Back!**_

 _ **Can i just first say thank you all for your support and patience. It has been so much fun working on this and prepping for the Shippuden Arc. Seeing all the positive comments and critical reviews really gave me the buzz to get this going. I hope you all enjoy the coming storyline.**_

 _ **As always your reviews are very welcome, and criticisms, we all need constructive help once in a while.**_

 ** _So you all know this will be a separate story - Naruto: Strings and Theory - Shippuden Trials, follows on from where we left off._**

 ** _this is just a mini teaser for the new story._**

 _ **To those that did my Sakura weapon challenge, thanks for participating, on that i also say special thanks to xXElectrodeXx, Earth coated fists it is.**_

 ** _To the followers, reviewers and everyone in general that loves a good story, thanks again for your support._**

 ** _Onwards, to glory_**

* * *

 _Hidden deep in Rain Country_

 _Storms raged incessantly, the skies flashing sporadically with charged energy._

 _In the central tower of the village, two figures stood, shrouded in many shadows._

 _Slowly, one stepped forwards, close to the edge of the tower. Lighting flashed and thunder rang out._

 _The figure brought his hand upwards and focused on his ring._

 _'_ _It is time'_

 _Elsewhere in the Elemental Continent._

 _In Earth Country, two figures slowed the bickering and glanced at their fingers._

 _In Water Country, one figure casually struck down his attackers as his attention diverted to his hand._

 _In Wind Country, one figure swore out loud as he tried to find his partner. He's eye dropped every now and then on his finger._

 _Still in Wind Country, one figure stopped his tinkering and glanced on the softly rattling digit on the table. Then he turned away and commenced his work, ignoring all else._

 _In Fire Country, one figure stood at a makeshift shrine, deep in the old territories. Incense burned beside him as he stood motionless, gazing towards things unseen. He bowed his head and turned away, bringing his hand to eye view._

 _All of them had the same thought._

 _'_ _A call to arms'_

 _Deep in Grass Country_

 _A figure watched with feverish eyes, rife with anticipation. Everything was coming together, but the wait was excruciating. Suddenly his gaze was on a jar, a keepsake from old friends with long memories. He stood up and looked at the severed limb, the ring on a finger, pulsing gently._

 _'_ _No more stalling'_

 _Deep in the Konoha_

 _The leaves of a tree may prosper, but in the deep of winter they fail. Only the very roots keep the tree alive._

 _Figures stood at parade, all were silent. Even with their awareness, they missed the entrance. Suddenly their leader was among them._

 _He surveyed his forces. His merchants of death, his tools of damnation. All for the great tree. Soon they would act._

 _'_ _No more delays'_

 _Somewhere in the world…_

 _A gentle breeze blew across the horizon. The waves of the sea, clashing against the rocks below, the sounds traveling even as far up the cliff face, with its edge jutting out towards the expanse, as if reaching for the realms far off._

 _A figure stood not far from the it, concealed in a dark coat. One arm flapped freely in the wind, with no resistance._

 _The air around him stirred, pulsing with energy. Several figures shimmered into existence and a mist rolled around them. Just as it reached head level his eyes opened._

 _One eye blue; one eye red. Both slitted_

 _'_ _Let's Begin'_


	2. Return to Konoha

_**A.N Hello all, and welcome to the first chapter of the Shippuden Arc. Thank you all so much for your support, i simply cannot say it enough. We should be back in the swing of things so i hope you all enjoy the goodies to come.**_

 _ **As usual Naruto isn't mine, this is purely a work of fiction, and please read and review.**_

 _ **Enjoy.**_

* * *

It was another day in Konohagakure. The early mist and dew had yet to fully settle and the air was filled with a sense of tranquillity.

And as often the case, it was marred by the clashing of weapons, the thumping of bodies driven to blows.

Konohamaru gritted his teeth as he was forced backwards again. His body was tense from the strain and exertion coloured his every move. His feet dragged across the ground and he brandished his weapon with a flourish. It was shaped like a short staff; however on one end was a slightly curved single edged blade. The other end held a sharp spike, partially encased in a hard shell to further secure the spike to the staff. The shell was slightly curved up and outwards, where it split leaving the spike mostly in the centre of the staff. Finally the two ends of the split shell held stronger thicker spikes.

All in all, the weapon gave off a bug themed feel, the tail end of the staff reminiscent of a beetle's abdomen, partially encased in its shell, while on the top end the blade housing was designed in reminiscent of a stinger, despite the fact that it was also a slashing weapon.

Considering its maker who was also Konohamaru's opponent, it wasn't unexpected.

Twirling his weapon Konohamaru rapidly took in his opponent's stance, desperate to find any gaps he could exploit. As he processed the situation his left hand reached into his pouch and dug out several pellets. He ground them in his palms and raised them to mouth level before giving a chakra enhanced blow. The dust quickly filled the air, moving rapidly in a blinding film of white.

"I've told you many times, be careful when you play with white phosphorus"

Konohamaru flinched and shrunk inwards guiltily, before snapping back into attention as a chuckle filtered through the air.

 _Crap_

With a surge of chakra he backed rapidly away from the flowing cloud, just as the whole thing went up in flames. He quickly shook his hand vigorously, dispersing much of the powder residue and taking a sigh of relief as he just cleared the flames. The last time he messed around with white phosphorus it took Tsunade herself to help regrow the patches of skin he lost, and then he spent weeks on an intensive course on the dangers of weapons grade chemical compounds and general shinobi safety practices.

Suddenly his opponent was on him again, forcing Konohamaru to go on the defensive. Sweat poured from the strained genin as he ducked and weaved passed the unrelenting assault, his weapon was very good for attack but wasn't the best for defensive manoeuvres. Konohamaru ducked, avoiding a blow that would have left him headless and scarpered to the right. His journey however was halted by a sharp blow to the back, with another blow he was on the floor.

Only to dissipate in a cloud of smoke, _Kage Bunshin_

The ground rumbled and cracked, seconds later Konohamaru burst through with a loud flourish. He lashed out with his left foot, catching his opponent off guard and scored a satisfying blow. He landed lightly on his feet and pressed forwards twirling his custom glaive. He let his hand slide down its length as he swung in a wide arc. His opponent quickly bent backwards, avoiding the blade by inches. Konohamaru didn't let up, his chakra pulsed rapidly and his speed increased, he swept forwards with two more arcing blows before making a short jump forwards, he moved into a rapid spin, building momentum and came crashing downwards on his opponent.

The blow slammed hard and kicked up dust everywhere, limiting visibility to a large degree.

"You have improved vastly with the weapon Konohamaru-Kun. More than I expected when it was first brought to my attention." Konohamaru smirked, with a hint of resignation. The voice came from behind him, its unflappable tones once would have sent him into a quite fury, now he accepted it for the way his mentor simply was.

Very few Aburames were expressive after all.

"Still, I have cautioned you repeatedly to limit your flourishes to when you are sure you will strike. You leave yourself open to far too many counter attacks and lose momentum, something this weapon heavily emphasises."

Konohamaru chuckled lightly as he scratched his head.

"I know, but I thought this time I had you. I'm a lot faster now, so I was hoping to at least capitalise on that." Konohamaru grinned as his sensei shook his head lightly and sighed. It wasn't often the Aburame in question would so full of expression and the young Genin delighted in the fact that he could bring that out of him.

"True, your speed has gone up, but that tactic is only effective if you catch you opponent off-guard, or they are slower than you. I have been mentoring you for almost three years now; I know how skilled you are and how much you grow. The only time you had me was with the Kage Bunshin. Like I said, your weapon of choice requires continuous momentum, you need to be constantly making openings and keep your opponent off balance."

Konohamaru nodded his grin fading slightly.

"I know sensei" he gripped his weapon tightly and his gaze dropped to the floor. Silence echoed around for a while. Then Konohamaru felt a hand on his head and he glanced upwards in shock. His mentor wasn't always one for such physical displays of reassurance. Quickly a warm smile grew on the Genins face as the Aburame ruffled his hair again.

"Still, with what you have accomplished these past years I can truly say well done. I only wish you could use the full range of the Kinsect Glaive" The Aburame brought his hand to chest level, showing several Kikaichu crawling along its length. The several soon became a swarm as the they flitted round the Aburame. Suddenly they launched forwards at Konohamaru, a dark cloud buzzing with intensity.

Konohamaru was familiar with the move however and sent a windmill blast of air and chakra. Still, as always the bugs recovered very quickly and he was engulfed. Visibility was poor and the sound from the bugs was deafening. As quickly as they swarmed the dissipated, Konohamaru blinked rapidly at the change and stilled as he felt a blade resting on his shoulder.

"The Kinsect Glaive is so named, due to the symbiotic nature of-"the Aburame began, however Konohamaru cut him off, having heard the statement many times.

"-nature of the weapon and the Kikaichu. Yes I am aware of this sensei, still I like it and I can find other ways of creating openings."

Konohamaru turned to his mentor, conviction firm in his eyes. The Aburame conceded with a nod and another small smile. For the young genin, it was the greatest thing ever.

"We are done for the day. You have to rest up a bit before you meet with your team."

Konohamaru nodded as he placed his weapon in its holster on his back.

"Hai, Shino-Sensei"

* * *

In other parts of Konoha similar training's were going on. Lives were being filled with activity. Civilians kept up with their daily challenges and the ninja carried out their duties.

Tsunade sighed as she looked longingly out the window. The last two plus years had been long and tedious, two things she absolutely loathed. People thought that taking care of a ninja village as its Kage was such an honour, but they never realised just how spirit crushing it could be at times.

The political intrigues, the shadow games…..

And the paperwork…..The never ending paperwork.

 _How Sarutobi ever managed to old age with this work is beyond me. I always said he was touched in the head. Or maybe it was his pipe, constantly smoking the really good stuff._

Tsunade continued to muse, glancing ever so often at the piling high stack of notes and reports and then moaning loudly as she felt her will continue to sap.

At the rate she was going she wouldn't last for much longer. She had no choice.

Tsunade glanced furtively around, before reaching into a secure compartment in the desk and pulled out a small sake jar. She forewent the saucer and brought the jar straight to her lips. A small sigh of satisfaction escaped as the contents immediately made the world around her much better.

"Tsunade-Sama!"

Hell, the world just went down the drain.

* * *

Miles away from Konoha several figures darted between the trees and shrubberies of the great forest. The movements were swift and mostly unnoticed, so much so that by the time the forest creatures could react on instinct the figures had long moved on.

"Three week mission away from Konoha, and this happens. I can't wait to get back and start decontamination, all those doctors prodding and pocking away at me" a sarcastic tone from one of the figures cut through the silence.

Another to the left gave a sidelong glance.

"No one asked you to pick up the packet Ikada. Better yet, no one asked you to swallow it either. I mean who does that? Swallows an untested, unverified biological agent without hesitation?"

Ikada sulked as several murmurs of agreement filtered around him.

"Yeah well, the newbie was taking too much time. And we were surrounded. Taichou said make sure no one got the packet from us, it was a spur of the moment thing." Ikada replied, feeling mulish about the whole affair.

"I only needed a few more seconds Ikada-Senpai. There are procedures dealing with biological agents, no matter how well preserved or packaged they might be. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you snatch the item and then stuff it down your throat."

Ikada merely sniffed at the new speaker before shooting a mild glare

"Well, why didn't you try and stop me rookie?"

"Too stunned Senpai" came the swift reply.

"Everyone quiet now."

All mutterings dropped at the command. The group slowed and came to a stop by a small stream.

"Koka, Mogi. Keep over watch. We are deep in our territory but don't be complacent." The two ninjas straightened and made for the canopies, blending in the background.

"Everyone drop down. Ikada…well done, but if you pull a stunt like that again I'll have you on academy duty on a six month tour, understood."

Ikada paled and nodded rapidly.

"Good, Sakura check him again. Anything we should worry about?" The commander threw a strong glare at Ikada, quieting any attempts to grumble about the 'rookie'.

Sakura stepped forwards as the sun's rays filtered through the leaves. She wore a standard chunin vest; however the rest of her outfit was different from her genin days.

Her bodysuit had been replaced with a slightly gothic kimono. The top was secured around her waist with a sash, with the front reaching just above her knees while the back went straight to the floor. The sleeves were long and wide, and her ninja boots were concealed by matching legwarmers. The outfit was a very dark red, almost black with cherry blossoms of various shades scattered across the design.

Sakura ran a practiced had over Ikada's frame, her chakra pulsing gently.

"His body temp is elevated again, but so far nothing too major Takada-Taichou." Sakura reported as she continued her diagnostic. The chakra pulse dimished and she gave a small sigh of relief

"The bag doesn't appear to have ruptured though not for the lack of trying; still at this point it's like playing with a live tag. We need to get to Konoha as quickly as possible and get it out of him."

Takada nodded.

"We are less than an hour away from the village. At this point it may be wise to through caution to the wind and haul ass. Sakura, keep an eye on the lug, anything changes you let me know."

Sakura nodded and shifted closer to Ikada, ignoring the grumbling that ensued. Takada raised a fist and gave the signal to move out.

Sharp burst of chakra rang out and the unit was in motion.

* * *

With the unit safely behind Konoha's walls and Ikada in the confines of the medical wards, Sakura could finally allow herself to relax. Milling around in the Chunin recreation room were her squad mates and other off duty ninjas. Takada was nowhere in sight, likely still in debriefing while Ikada was with the medical corps, the latter would be with them for quite some time.

Sakura couldn't help the slightly vengeful smile that filled her face.

Ikada had not been the most receptive to her presence in the squad, especially considering both he and their captain were the oldest ones and she was less than half his age. He more than anyone else had made it his personal mission to shadow her and be an overwhelming thorn, questioning every statement and every action. Had it not been for her time with Naruto and Team Seven she was sure to have cracked under his constant pressure; however she persevered and gave often as much as she got.

And none could question her combat skills.

It may have been Naruto that help first forge her, but Tsunade was the one that hone her craft. The Hokage had been unrelenting and utterly ruthless in her training, pushing her to the very limits and then beyond. The two years spent training had been the greatest challenge she had ever faced and looking back now on those times, Sakura could only feel pride and a sense of accomplishment.

After the training she had joined up with Takada's squad and then, time flew by. She gained her field promotion, primarily due to her medical rating, and under Takada's guidance built up a respectable level of experience and competence. And while at first some of the long standing members of the squad grumbled about her placement overtime she managed to cement her place among them, no one denied her merit.

Well, no one but Ikada.

Still baring the 'light' hazing she received, joining up with Thirteen-B or more commonly called 'Thirteen-Black' had been worth it. They were career chunins to the core, with no desire to move further from their ranks. Some scoffed at them but the sheer number of missions, recruitment choices and tactical flexibility the squad earned was nothing to scoff at. They were a stable element in the ever changing world of shinobi ranks, and not just anyone worked with them.

Their Chunin commander was in his late forties and still had not made the jump to Jonin, yet he had the respect of the Jonins as well as the rank and file. He had been leading the same squad for more than a decade, with some new faces coming and going; only Ikada had a service record that came close.

Sakura smiled at the group picture she managed to con the unit into taking.

She would miss the unit; miss working with them….

Sakura sighed as she closed her locker

* * *

 _Mendokusei_

"I know you are lazy, but this is getting out of hand" The hard tone caused Shikamaru to wince. He shifted and slowly opened one eye.

The amused glare he received wasn't all that reassuring.

"It was a nice attempt, I'll admit. But I have two brothers, one that constantly tries to foist of his share of the work using any creative means possible, and the other who has discovered the joys of naps. I've seen it all"

Shikamaru closed his eye and slumped even more, his mood sullen.

"I wasn't trying very hard, you wouldn't have found me otherwise" He muttered under his breath. Feeling the amused glare grow more and more piercing the Nara sighed again and slowly sat up. He stretched out a lazy hand only to receive the file to the chest.

Shikamaru wheezed at the sudden loss of breath and gave a return glare. His assailant however smirked at him. The wind picked up and blew across her face and she raised a hand in reflex, a hand with a rough circular scar going through it.

Shikamaru was glad the file had dropped to his lap; it hid his reaction as his own hand clenched into a fist, a hand that held a similar scar to hers.

If one were to put both hands together they would see it fit perfectly.

Meanwhile, Temari brought her hand down as she looked at the still sitting Nara. Things with the dark haired boy had been….complex, to say the least. The first been the age gap between them, she had a full three years on him. The second was his constant need to slouch and just be so sloth like, it made her molars sad and her dentist a wealthy happy man.

And yet….

She could vividly remember that day in the forest. No hesitation, no delays. He had her fully subdued and out of the fight. There was a strength to him that he rarely displayed, and a keen tactical mind, ruthless when pushed.

And like a moth to a flame she was drawn to him.

The last year she had worked with a number of Chunins from Konoha, but she almost exclusively worked with Shikamaru. Once he was roused from his laziness he was efficient and methodical, something Temari always appreciated.

And he kept up with her schedule, more so she knew he could exceed it, were it not for his constant need to be lazy. Temari was sure it was some form of genetic disorder, when she had stayed with the Nara's his father had been almost exactly the same, it was near maddening.

She put those thoughts out of her mind as Shikamaru began perusing the file again, the major reason she disturbed him in the first place.

"This year's Chunin Exam, held in Suna, what a mess." Shikamaru sighed as he flipped through the pages. He stopped every so often and raised an eyebrow.

"Are any of these accurate?"

Temari nodded

"Mendokusei…Kumo and Iwa have all but confirmed their intent to participate in these tournaments, the same tournaments both nations expressly stated they would not be present for." Shikamaru stated, all weariness leaving his tone.

"Yes, considering how much dust Kumo has been stirring up these last few years it was almost a relief to hear they would not be participating. And now we get this, not just one team but they are sending six teams. This is not just an exam, it's a statement" Temari added her tone level.

Shikamaru rubbed his brow, as if to ward of headache.

"The logistical nightmares alone give pause, however six teams is a bit much even for them. And throw in Iwa, this year is going to be volatile." Shikamaru paused again and gave a huff.

"We need to start over. Run the numbers again, we will fill the slots with the best genin teams, even if we have to reshuffle them a bit."

Temari nodded as she picked up another file.

"What about the rookies?"

"No, not if Kumo are rigging the system like this. My guess is that these 'genin' are that only in name." Shikamaru paused and gave a side glance "if you have any exceptional ones then yes, we can nominate them, but fill the rest with vets, ones that are likely to pass, or at least capable of taking out the competition"

Temari nodded, she gave a glance at the sky and bit her lip.

"This is going to take a while, and I had a dinner date planned."

Shikamaru went still. His fists juddered as he tried to keep his reactions under control. The change was not lost on Temari who let loose another large smile.

* * *

Across the village the lives of people echoed. Activities began and ended under the sun, hopes were dashed, and despair turned to elation, life went on.

Tsunade, once the opportunity came, disappeared from the 'Ivory prison' and took the time to enjoy a simple walk down Konoha's many streets. Greetings and well wishes sounded around her and she responded in kind. Her keen eyes caught on occasion children playing all sorts of ninja games, something which never failed to lift her spirits.

 _In times like this…being the Hokage….isn't so bad…_

Tsunade brushed her hair from her vision as she slowly wandered the streets. It was good to be the Hokage.

In thinking of the title, her thoughts transitioned to something she had been waiting for a long while. She had received secure word from her teammate, the training and reconnaissance mission was more or less over and they would be making their way back to the village.

Naruto was coming home. Her little brother was coming back to her.

The communication had come in weeks prior and Tsunade could not deny the anxiousness welling up in her. It was near enough three years ago since they saw each other. Who knew how much he would have grown.

"Tsunade!"

Tsunade whirled round in surprise, not expecting the familiar voice of Jiraiya. Before she could speak her eyes locked onto his and she stopped cold. The anxious tone in his voice then registered and her blood froze in her veins.

 _Something is not right_

Her dark feelings only grew at his next words.

"Tsunade, where is Naruto?! Is Naruto back yet?!"

* * *

 _Land of Lightning – Hidden Sound Base_

 _Smoke and mist coiled around and away from each other, the subtle difference in air pressure creating unique patterns and effects in the air. Despite the shroud of the mist it wasn't easy hiding the increasing glow of a blazing flame._

 _Portions of the building were burnt out and the rest was going up nicely, with any luck and without much time all of it would be burnt to the core, leaving nothing for scavengers to find._

 _Still, there was no satisfaction._

 _Two figures stood a fair distance from the growing blaze, uncaring of the occasional explosions probably from one of the many lab rooms. One was significantly taller than the other, and both were hidden in long dark coats._

 _"_ _Another dead end…"_

 _One of the figures sighed; the flames surged and illuminated his face for a brief moment._

 _Sharp reds eyes came in relief, matching the flames, burning before him._

 _"_ _Orochimaru is becoming craftier, and I had hoped…." The sentenced trailed into the wind._

 _"_ _Still, we can take this one off the list. There are only a few bases left, and those cannot be touched yet."_

 _The figure turned as the flames reached their peak; the other remained still._

 _"_ _The snake will make a mistake."_

 _"_ _Sas..."the wind blew, carrying much of the words into the horizon, "-annot hide forever."_


	3. Where there is Lightning

**_A.N. Hey guys._**

 ** _Wow, the support has been awesome. The follows and faves have really shot up, thank you so much. i can only hope you enjoy this iteration much like the last._**

 ** _I loved reading the comments and what people think is happening. and now to find the truth of it all._**

 ** _Hope you enjoy and catch you all soon._**

* * *

"Tsunade, where is Naruto?! Is Naruto back yet?!"

Ice clawed her veins as the words ran loops in her mind. It was incomprehensible to her. Jiraiya went with Naruto. Jiraiya took Naruto with him; ergo Jiraiya knew where Naruto was. Naruto was with Jiraiya; ergo Jiraiya knew when Naruto was due back.

 _But Jiraiya was back…without Naruto._

 _Jiraiya was asking_ _ **her**_ _, where Naruto was…ergo, Jiraiya lost Naruto._

 _Jiraiya lost Naruto…._

"Jiraiya!" The promise of imminent violence was matched only by the anxiety and fear in her voice. "Where is Naruto? How could you lose him?!"

Jiraiya shook his head and stepped close to the female Sannin.

"Not here" He muttered, before setting them both for the rooftops. Tsunade pulled out from his grip and gave a sharp glare and made for the Hokage Tower.

"No! Not yet. No one knows I'm back yet, and I'd prefer if it stays that way."

Tsunade gave another sharp glare and snarled.

"Then why are you back, without Naruto?! Where is my little brother Jiraiya?!" The minute the question left her she closed up. Her eyes went cold as did her chakra. Jiraiya flinched as the air around him seemed to drain of warmth. He inclined his head and they took off, years of experience with Konoha allowed them to drift through the village, without being noticed.

They reached their destination; Naka river, deep in former Uchiha territory. No one used the area, although with Sasuke's defection there were slow talks of opening up the grounds for the use of the village.

As soon as the landed and the area was secure Tsunade rounded on Jiraiya, demanding an explanation. Jiraiya sighed as he leaned against the side of the ravine.

"I lost track of him close to five months ago."

* * *

 _The Edge of Lightning Country_

The base was well concealed, without prior knowledge even the ninjas of Kumo would have been hard pressed to ferret it out.

A figure stood not far from it, concealed in a dark coat, its loose ends freely flapping in the morning wind. A soft crinkling joined followed; the figure glanced downwards at his left hand and noted the slip of paper, caught between the cold wind and his tightening grip.

The paper, that was as much the bane of his existence, as it could be his salvation.

 _Tsu-Hime is going to have my head on a pike…_

He gave a sigh and let go of the paper. It fluttered helplessly, before bursting into sharp flames with the ashes carried off in the winds.

The air around him stirred, pulsing with energy.

He had already mapped the entire grounds. Much of the installation was hidden underground, and from what he could tell it was quite expansive. It also meant that anyone who found the location would pass it off a minor base, a stopping point or cache, nothing of much interest.

But he knew better, and what's more his target was present, on site.

There was no way he would let the opportunity slip past him.

Several figures shimmered into existence and a mist rolled around them. Just as it reached head level his eyes opened.

One eye blue; one eye red. Both slitted

'Let's Begin'

* * *

 _I lost track of him close to five months ago_.

That rang out in Tsunade's ears. Before she could even comment her teammate carried on.

"I've always known where he was and what he was doing. Look, we officially we went out for a three year training tour. Naruto and I completed the schedule in nineteen months. All of it."

Tsunade blinked in surprise. Jiraiya gave a tired smirk at her look.

"I have never trained someone as driven as him. He is a machine, and with his usage of Kage Bunshin, not to mention his chakra growth, I was shocked we didn't finish sooner."

"Are you saying that he mastered everything in less than two years Jiraiya?"

"I'm saying as far as formal instruction, all of it was done less than two years. What he lacked was experience, and we spent a year on that." Jiraiya stressed ensuring Tsunade understood.

"How did you end up separated then?" Tsunade queried after a while.

Jiraiya shifted and became more pensive.

"I know a few brokers, and have access to bounty stations. There are also some groups, minor ninja clans unaffiliated that owe me favours…of sorts. I set up an agreement and got contracts for Naruto to finish. Most times I let him run the missions solo, hell for a few we weren't even in the same general area."

Tsunade blinked rapidly at what she was hearing.

"Given the state of affairs, and knowing what is at stake, you just let him roam around freely?" she queried in disbelief.

"Yes" Came the deadpan answer. Tsunade looked ready to tear her teammate a new one when his gaze sharpened, stilling her rhetoric.

"It's because of what's coming that I did it. We cannot afford to cuddle him, and once he is back in the village he's actions and movements are going to be under tight scrutiny. He needed the experience, especially considering what my intel suggests."

* * *

 _(Stutters) We were supposed to be ready. How did this…?_

Moments earlier he was warm. Now, all Koda could focus on was his slowly cooling body. His legs had gone cold what felt like years ago. The chill was already halfway up his chest, his arms no longer responsive.

However his mind, that remained sharp. Sharper than he could ever remember, and focused in great detail at what was happening around him.

They had been ready. They had been prepared.

Several of their bases had gone dark and all were on heightened alert. In fact, the smaller locations had been shut down and personnel reshuffled to the larger ones. He was one of many Chunin level ninjas stationed at the base, a large concentration if truth be told.

That had given them confidence. It turned into their undoing.

The first sign of trouble was the mist. _Mist!_ In an underground base! Koda remembered several Nins attempting to dispel the mist to no avail. They then tried ventilation, using the filtration system but that had been compromised, sending in more mist.

Other than obstructing visibility and muffling sound, nothing seemed amiss and it became clear it wasn't an airborne toxin.

Still, it drove up the tension, and despite the chill Koda could remember feeling flushed, as though running through a heat wave.

The silence…the silence had been maddening. The air went so still it felt like the sound had disappeared.

And all he could hear was the blood. Blood rushing through his veins. Blood pumping through his heart. Blood traveling through his skull!

 _Blood!_

He barely heard it but a figure gasped in front of him, and his relief was palpable. Without a single hesitation he barked a clear order to his squad members and dove forwards.

The edge of his vision caught someone, wearing non Oto-clothes. That was enough for him as he drove his hand into the intruder's throat, before slipping a kunai between the ribs.

Adrenaline rushed through him and he was on a high.

Another gasp sounded behind him and he quickly turned around, only for a kunai to graze his arm. That stunned him for a moment, giving his aggressor time to close the distance. He snapped out of his haze just in time to avoid the attack before launching one of his own, dispatching the second invader.

From that point he was lost in a whirlwind. Everywhere he looked there were Ninjas engaged in combat drifting in and out of the mist. He couldn't remember how many fell to his blades. Or how lucky he was at times, barley avoiding deaths embrace.

Finally, mercifully, it all seemed to stop. The constant flurry ceased as quickly as it started.

"Koda..." A voice whispered. Its stuttering and haunting tones filtered through his battle addled mind.

He looked down to the figure he held in tight grips

"Miyako?!" He breathed out, part question part shock. His hands were slick with blood and her face was marred by tears and fear. Blood pooled on the edge of her lips and bile rose from his stomach.

 _Koda…why? Why did you attack us? Why are we fighting?_

 _Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?_

 _Why won't the noise stop?_

His eyeballs rolled around his head, the pressure building rapidly. The strain on his emotions was too much as everything leading to that point played in an infinite loop.

They went mad.

They all went mad.

There was no invader. They killed themselves.

There were no figures in the shadows. They were the figures in the shadows.

 _Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?_

"Koda…." Miyako looked serene as he snapped back to her. He felt her go slack as her last words swept through him.

 _The noise has stopped. Thank you, for making it stop…_

He let go suddenly and watched as her body dropped to the ground.

 _Noise. Noise. Noise. Noise. Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!_

 _Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!_

The pressure in his head grew and tortured screams tore free from his lips. He was afraid to close his eyes, every time he could see the people he worked and fought alongside, dying by his hands. Falling to his blades.

And the noise. The incessant noise threatened to drive him mad.

 _Please, make it stop_

Suddenly he was hit. His body spun round multiple times before hitting the ground hard.

He gasped sharply and his mind cleared. He knew immediately it was a bad hit. Already he could tell, numbness was setting in. he couldn't move his legs, and blood pulled around him.

Strangely, he felt okay with that

 _The noise…._

His eyes blurred, but he could still make out who was leaning over him

"Shinji…?" He smiled tentatively. The perplexed look on his attackers face was lost to him. The questions flew over him. All that mattered was…

"-it's okay Shinji. It's stopped. The noise…it's finally stopped."

 _Thank you, for making it stop._

* * *

 _We cannot afford to cuddle him. He needed the experience, especially considering what my intel suggests._

"There has been an uptick in chatter in the last eight months, but it's all over the place. I tried to get a handle on things but with Naruto with me I couldn't devote a lot of time to it. On two occasions we dropped his 'missions' to check on actionable intelligence. Something is going down Tsunade, and I have a feeling Konoha is going to be in the thick of it."

Tsunade bit her lip as she thought furiously. Her current mission reports confirmed some of what Jiraiya was saying, the slow increase in confrontations not to mention the sheer chatter going around was giving the intelligence division serious headaches. Much of it was noise, but noise was useful for hiding things one didn't want found.

"Still doesn't explain how you lost Naruto"

Jiraiya shook his head and carried on

"I had word on Akatsuki, the first in a year, clear actionable intelligence. What's more I would have a full list of Akatsuki members. Names, village of origins, preferred fighting styles, financial backers. Everything." Jiraiya shook his head as he spoke.

Meanwhile Tsunade couldn't believe what she was hearing. That information was worth its weight in gold, but something was consistent.

"You identified Kisame and Itachi. You must have had some idea."

Jiraiya shook his head.

"I gambled and struck gold. Besides they were after Naruto, and for two random S-Rank Nins to team up and just happen to go after a Jinchuriki, especially considering that Itachi is aware of Naruto's status. It was a forgone conclusion, what I didn't have was anything tangible on the organisation."

Tsunade seemed to accept the explanation, but again back to Naruto.

"Tsunade, the data was time sensitive. Me finding out about them was luck, only because Orochimaru and Akatsuki had a disagreement. From then it's been at least three and a half years, most of which was interrupted training Naruto. I left a message with a group Naruto was due to meet up with, just on the borders of Grass Country, and then headed for the drop point. The location was Uzushi."

"That is on the other side of the map Jiraiya" Tsunade deadpanned. Seeing Jiraiya slump she bit back some of her insults and looked closer at her teammate. The weight of his decisions clearly had taken some toll on him. In any other situation it would have been a good idea. What they had now was worst case scenario, and one Tsunade was unwilling to accept.

"What happened?"

Jiraiya nodded without looking up.

"I go to my rendezvous point to meet with my contact; instead I get ambushed by remnants from Land of Wood. Why I'm not sure but from what I recovered among them someone directed them to my meeting point."

"Why?"

Jiraiya shrugged "I'm not sure. I'm also certain they were expecting someone else, someone from Konoha but they were remarkably tight lipped. It seemed one Konoha Nin was as good as any at the end of the day."

As he spoke he ran a hand through his hair, frustration colouring his tones.

"From there I tried to get back to the group Naruto was meeting up with. Took three weeks to finally catch up to them only to find they had been victims of an attack and Naruto hadn't linked up with them. All traces of him went cold. And that was four months ago."

"Then I started hearing of bases and locations going dark. At first I didn't pay attention, and then it turns out to be some of Orochimaru's outlying bases and supply stations. I put two and two together and redirected my search. Unfortunately the trail was cold at that point and it was difficult making sense of the patterns. There was no logic as to why one base was hit and another wasn't."

Tsunade bit her lip as she tried furiously to think through the problem Jiraiya presented.

"He's looking for something." The words whispered out.

* * *

 _Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be as still as the Mountain_

"The Art of War" Naruto murmured to himself as he surveyed the carnage.

The Hidden Sound base was almost completely trashed. Bodies lay across the floor. Walls and doors smashed with debris scattered around. Fires and smoke dotted the area.

All in all, a job well done.

"That will do Soprana." Naruto murmured as he pulsed his chakra strings. Split moment later the light pressure around his ears came to a stop.

Naruto raised his left hand to the back of his ear and ran a finger down the length, followed swiftly on the second ear. Fuinjutsu scripts lit up briefly before fading away, the protection they offered no longer necessary.

After that Naruto turned backwards, and gave his puppet a quick once over.

Model two-six-seven; Banshee Class.

He called her Soprana.

This puppet was much more refined in style, compared to a few years ago. The form was feminine in stature, with its outfit design moulded into the body structure, a short oriental style with high neckline with keyhole design. The keyhole framed the first major weapon system of Soprana; a small, compact, but powerful speaker.

Attached to the upper left arm was another speaker; this consisted primarily of an extremely shallow cone, often so it was mistaken for a disk. The shallowness was countered by the use of chakra to maximise its effectiveness.

On the right forearm was attached a modified crossbow, capable of either burst fire, or a single high powered precision shot.

Her face was utilitarian, with no real features. over her head however were stylised headphones, with fitting going through her ear canals. The headset hung over her head, with two mouthpiece extensions at a fixed angle.

Soprana was a tactical puppet, meant for heavy infiltration and sabotage, she was meant to sow discord in enemy troops and cause hysteria, breaking the enemy before the battle even began.

Satisfied with his observations Naruto took off at a dead sprint, Soprana following close behind.

Despite the sheer amount of panic and hysteria, followed by massive casualties due to friendly fire, there were still Oto Nins alive, some capable enough to fight. Also Naruto could sense those with cursed seals running around the base.

It didn't matter.

None of them were really in any condition to challenge him, not after the psychological attack. And Naruto hadn't spent the better part of two years resting on his laurels. Moving from shadow to shadow Naruto ghosted through the complex, redirecting the few that stood in his way and cutting down any that would have spotted him.

He moved swiftly through the base and finally found his goal; Naruto's mind went back to Wave Country, his infiltration of Gatou's home.

He walked into the room, filled files, records, data disks. Written gold, worth more than the layman could possibly imagine.

"How far I have come, from those early days." Naruto murmured as he slowly reached for a discarded file.

His fingers made to coil around the article, when he froze.

Another presence made itself know, and one he was intimately familiar with now.

"Yes indeed….although in my opinion you are slowing down. Perhaps the challenge was a bit much this time…"

Naruto's eye twitched and he stiffened at the slight. He quickly schooled his expressions, but it was far too late. Finally he turned around to the speaker, finding him perusing several files while sat comfortably on a fold out chair.

"Naruto….You're late"

"My apologies….Sasori"

* * *

"It took you three-quarters of an hour to get through the gauntlet." Sasori commented. He lifted his gaze from the file he was ready as he monitored Naruto, first securing the room before moving to the data disks and files.

"Actually it took you forty-two minutes and thirty-eight seconds, from your initial attack until you registered my presence."

….

He got no reply as Naruto rapidly tapped the keyboards and view the results on screen.

"The last base took thirty-eight minutes, twenty three seconds."

…..

Again no reply, but the key strokes stopped.

"The one before only took twenty-one min-"Before he could finish he was cut off.

"Is there a point to this line of inquiry?"

Sasori turned back to his file and flipped the page.

"You are getting slower, progressively so. I'm beginning to wonder if the challenge is becoming too much for you. Orochimaru has increased the numbers in each base; still perhaps I have overestimated your skill level."

"Is that what you really think?"

Sasori looked up again, facing the challenging stare of mismatched eyes.

"How would you rate my efficiency then, in today's exercise? Based on your thrice dammed standards?"

Sasori smiled, it was always so enjoyable, needling Naruto.

Still….

"Based on execution, adaptability, success. I would put it on mid A-Rank"

Naruto's eye twitched to Sasori's continued amusement.

"And the one before"

"Low B-Rank"

"And the previous"

"Please. That travesty was C-Rank at best, and that is me being generous."

Naruto ground his teeth, forcing himself to calm down.

"In other words your point is moot. Time was not a factor in this case and I accomplished my set goals with minimum loss of resource and fighting capacity on my part. My enemies however were in complete disarray and outright depleted as the set on each other like rabid dogs."

Naruto paused, as though to let the information sink in. he turned back to face the screens and continued to peruse the data.

"I'm not even sure why you keep playing these games. After all it's not like you are unaware of the circumstances and my likely response."

"Ahh, but each day and with each lesson I learn something new about you, Kohai"

At the statement Naruto snapped out of his chair, blasting it away with the force of his chakra. Rage twisted his face as he rounded on Sasori.

"I am not your Kohai! You are not my Senpai!" Naruto eyes morphed both glowing red.

Sasori carried on regardless.

"Your work on puppetry impresses me. Your combat skills and tactical awareness is fascinating. Your approach is intriguing. Very few manage to get my attention, and for you to thoroughly engage me in my own field. That speaks very highly of you Naruto-Kun."

* * *

It wasn't the first time Sasori had made such declarations. Nevertheless it always set Naruto's warning bells off. Dealing with Sasori was a delicate balance, as it seemed with most erratic S-Ranked Ninjas. Other than his fascination with him, Naruto couldn't tell what the Suna Puppet Masters motives were.

Still, he wasn't one to cower. Cautious yes, but never cower.

Naruto turned back to the screens and tapped away on the keyboards. Silence reined as neither had anything further to discuss. As the minutes flew by frustration mounted on Naruto's features as he desperately looked through the files.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." he murmured under his breath as each search came out negative. Sasori stood up and made his way over to the screen, ignoring the growls coming from Naruto.

"What are up to?"

Naruto ignored the query as he kept trying to find the information he sought.

"He's here; the note said he was here." Naruto yelled out as he stood and slammed a fist on the desk, frustration in his tones. Sasori reached over the keys and gave a few quick strokes, pulling the search parameters.

"He was."

"Then why can't I find him?"

"Because I had him moved."

….

Naruto turned mechanically to Sasori as the other merrily tapped away at the keys. He stood, unable to speak, or even express the rage that was building.

"Like i said before, i enjoy observing you. How you grow, how you adapt to changing situations, how you navigate difficult problems. I knew about your objective here, because i set the bait in the first place. It was just as easy to have your target moved a day before your planned assault."

Sasori gave a backward glance to the fury ridden Jinchuriki.

"Still, not all is lost" Sasori inclined his head to the file he had been reading. Naruto zeroed in on it and moved. He quickly flicked through the contents. Chakra pulsed around him, seconds later the file was gone, sealed away.

Naruto turned to leave when Sasori called out to him.

"You might want to hurry. As you invaded this base, an anonymous tip went out to Kumogakure, regarding its location and enemy composition. Also someone might have spread word a little early of your presence here."

Sasori paused and glanced on the wall clock

"Given how long ago that was, it would be very entertaining to see how you'll get round this-"Sasori trailed off as he turned towards Naruto's position, only to see empty space.

The Suna puppeteer merely smiled and turned back to the screens, tapping away on the keyboards.

* * *

 _He's looking for something…_

Jiraiya's attention snapped back to her. She shook her head and continued more slowly.

"He's is looking for something. Moving from base to base, whether there is a pattern or not. And knowing him, destroying the base is a chance to deny resources to Orochimaru, and sow confusion in Oto's ranks."

She looked up to Jiraiya in time to see him nod at her assessment.

"Orochimaru will have to consolidate his forces, resources. How many bases have fallen?"

"By my last check four; but none of them can be considered true bases. Outposts maybe or just drop points."

Tsunade shook her head

"You need to get back out there. Find him Jiraiya. Find out what happened, where he has been and why he avoided contact with us."

"Get my brother back Jiraiya"

At the command Jiraiya straightened. With a quick nod the male Sannin disappeared.

Tsunade sighed into the darkness, the icy grip of worry still holding tight to her. The a quick flex of chakra she was off. A few minutes later she was back in her office.

Just in time to register the commotion.

"Tsunade! Where have you been?!"

The Elder Council were out in full force. Displeasure coloured each of their faces, however Tsunade was keen enough to notice the hidden depths of worry in Koharu and Homura.

Danzo, as usual, was like stone. Unmoving. Unfeeling.

Also present were her attendant Shizune, Jonin Commander Nara Shikaku, and the ANBU Commander.

This didn't bode well.

"We have confirmed reports, and the chatter keeps coming through. I have several ops teams on standby, waiting for your call to move out." The ANBU Commander quietly stated as she looked around in confusion.

Before she could ask the bombshell was dropped.

"Naruto has been spotted in Lightning Country. There have been unconfirmed reports that he was responsible for the destruction of a base that is rumoured to an outpost, a training camp for the 'Thunder Cloud Formation', a subdivision of Lightning's Chunin squads. The base is completely destroyed"

Homura summarised, the sinking in Tsunade's stomach grew even more.

"The destruction happened two days ago. Even if he somehow makes it out of Lightning, he has to traverse through Land of Frost, Hot Water and possibly Sound before he can get to Fire Country borders."

Tsunade's chakra sharpened, causing the gathered individuals to stiffen. Split second later twin disruptions appeared as two runners stood before her.

"Get me Hatake, right now!" With the order the left, as quickly as they came.

Tsunade barely paid attention as she rounded on the ANBU Commander.

"I want our eyes and ears in Lightning on the lookout. Not one detail out of place. Find out what you can about this base, I don't for a second believe it belongs to the Thunder Cloud. Also get bodies in Frost and Hot Water, if possible set up safe houses and extraction points."

"Jiraiya was on a secondary assignment, no doubt he may have heard so he would be on the move as well. Once Kakashi is here I'll put together a unit to reinforce them."

Tsunade moved behind her desk and pulled all the notes presented. She indicated at a spare seat for Shikaku to use before they started serious work, the Elders already seated at the conference table set up. With the ANBU Commander gone and Shizune's departure the room went into lock-down.

As everything happened, Tsunade's hand ghosted over her chest, were a necklace _used_ to be.

 _Please Otouto. Come back safe._

* * *

 _ **A.N. So concludes another chapter. Thanks again for your support. Special thanks to Seta88 for the correction on 'Wind' Country.**_

 _ **Also check out my Strings & Theory - Times before trials**_ _**series. Another post will be going up soon.**_

 _ **Anyways, keep those reviews coming and thanks again.**_


	4. Storm over the Horizon

_**A.N. Hey all, another time & another post. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Love the reviews so far and i'll make additional notes at the end of the chapter. To my new follows and faves, i say welcome to the family, hope you enjoy the content.**_

 _ **Onwards to Glory!**_

* * *

Flight; the process by which an object moves through an atmosphere without direct support from any surface. Flight was the realm belonging to wide range of winged creatures.

For man, flight was the greatest expression of innovation and freedom.

Naruto wasn't feeling that much of the freedom. In fact his feet remained on _terra firma_ as he sped desperately through hostile lands. The five Kumo Nins hounding his every step though, probably had something to do with it.

Flying through Kumo had been a mistake; Naruto was man enough to admit that to himself. The risks in this case outweighed the potential benefits. He had chosen to gamble and lost spectacularly. His vaunted intellect won out against common sense (proving once and for all sense wasn't common – you had it, or you didn't) and now look where intellect led him.

His glider was a thing of beauty and craftsmanship. And yet, even with it there were problems;

The primary means of propulsion was fairly loud, given the power and speeds available, and left a visible trail. It was also chakra heavy, not a problem for him but given the backlash and resulting chakra storm anyone remotely adept at chakra sensing would pick up his trail. He shuddered to think what real masters of the art would be able to infer from his chakra.

On the other hand, the secondary systems, the ducted fans were quiet, eerily so. This was better for hiding his trail and keeping his chakra usage on the low band. It was slower however, and had a limited height range. He would be visible to the world; anyone looking up would simply spot him.

Of course, intellect and pride told him that with the use of illusions he could remain invisible. And with the ducted fans although slower, would still be faster than if he ran.

Given the weather pattern he had been forced to fly much lower than he originally desired, and the winds made going a bit slower as well. He had been forced further south, towards the coastlines before he could move west in the direction of Land of Hot Water.

As troublesome as the weather was, it hadn't been the issue. The issue arose with the Kumo Hunting party that were alerted to his presence. This particular hunting party had two things going against Naruto.

The first was they had a competent sensor, who immediately identified a large source of chakra moving through their general area. The second was a skill Genjutsu user. After their sensor had narrowed the area down the Genjutsu user quickly analysed and found the discrepancy between the illusion and reality.

Things from there only escalated.

With Naruto no longer concealed his options were severely limited, doubly so once the shock had worn out from the Kumo Nins.

Without hesitation he swooped down and launched a surprise attack. Credit to their skill the Kumo Nins were on their toes and avoided the worst of it. However not all made it unscathed. Naruto quickly identified his target, in a flash the glider was gone and the Kumo sensor was dead at his feet.

Before they could register their shock Naruto took off on foot, counting down in his head. Before he got to ten he could sense a cocktail of anguish and rage, determination and retribution, all of it bearing down on him…

…Just as he hoped.

He couldn't afford for them to report back. Unconfirmed reports were one thing, but eye witnesses could lead to a host of problems and Naruto was first a Konoha loyalist.

Hence the chase through the crooked and rocky coastline.

 _Suiton: Water Canopy_

Naruto perked as he felt a massive build-up of chakra. He risked a quick glance backwards, and was forced to evade several shuriken. He spun around smoothly to face his attackers while avoiding more shuriken. His eyes tracked everything around as he readied himself for their offensives.

Two of the Kumo Nins faced off against him while the other three hung back. Two of those had their hands in seals and chakra pulsed strongly around them. Naruto heard a faint rumbling from the coastline and took a quick glance. His eyebrows rose as vast amounts of water churned from the sea. As he ducked and wove around the melee attacks he could still feel the chakra in the air, pulling on the water and drawing large amounts of vapour over their heads. It explained why two of them were pulling the manoeuvre; the strain would have been too much for one person.

Naruto tossed several kunais at the stationary targets. The third Kumo Nin however was their line of defence, swatting the weapons aside while Naruto was forced to focus on his twin attackers.

It amazed him that all through the exchange not a single word had been traded between the two sides. The Kumo team seemed dedicated to taking him down, and despite their anger their approach was methodical, textbook.

Naruto admired their technique, just as he casually drifted from a decapitating strike. As he moved backwards he felt a tinge of satisfaction coming from the Kumo Nins. Then he felt a sharp spike and sudden shift in chakra pressure.

 _Suiton: Lance of the Heavy Rain_

High above them the water surged and churned with chakra. Vapours drew together and began forming drops. The process escalated and with a sharp surge of energy a spear of water fired downwards at Naruto.

Naruto couldn't believe the speed of the technique. Flooding his frame with chakra he blitzed away from the water projectile. His eyes widened even further as he saw the sheer damage the lance had made on the hard shoreline rocks. More chakra fluctuations fleeted across his perception and he looked up in preparation. The canopy was massive and still drawing water from the sea. The canopy continued to surge and shift, this time forming more lances.

The waters moved, and Naruto danced…

The Kumo Nins backed up slightly. All their hands were in seals, lending the support and chakra to the devastating technique. Their piercing gaze focused totally on Naruto, retribution dancing in their eyes. The lances shrunk in size but increased in number, the plan now to overwhelm with sheer weight of numbers, occasionally a large lance would strike out and while Naruto continue to avoid the attacks all knew it couldn't last forever.

Another chakra spike told Naruto things were certainly not over.

One of the Kumo Nins began a new seal chain. Energy arced over his fingers; at the last seal lightning could be seen along the edges. The Kumo Nin thrust his hands skyward and lightning chakra arced into the air, through the water canopy.

 _Thunder Cloud Formation: Wrath of Thunder Lords_

The sky crackled ominously as lightning chakra fed its way through the moisture laden atmosphere. Naruto's heart began pounding as he felt the rapid changes in pressure, the feel of power building. The water lances had been destructive. This new jutsu would far outstrip that.

Time stood still

 ** _…_** ** _..Use my power well, child_**

Time restarted, but seemed to run sluggishly. Naruto could clearly see the first bolt of energy, ready to unleash havoc on him. His options were limited.

Fortunately, two years of training had its perks. And a whole period grovelling had unique rewards.

 _Doton: Forbidden Corridors._

At the first heartbeat; the earth below Naruto rumbled as Kyuubi's chakra saturated the area. The ground shot upwards at immense speeds, soon multiple walls arose, connecting and shifting, forming hallways and rooms.

At the second heartbeat; Naruto slammed his left hand into the ground. His chakra flashed, moving across the newly erected surfaces. Following split seconds behind were ripples of chakra, the Kumo Nins were staggered by the sheer force behind the chakra unleashed.

At the third heartbeat; the lightning lances rained down, blanketing the area with electrified might.

* * *

Jiraiya had received the update from Tsunade moments after leaving Konoha borders. The knowledge that Kakashi would be meeting up with him was reassuring, however the Toad Sannin couldn't wait any longer. They had a rough idea where Naruto was, the Jonin would just have to play catch up.

It had been seven days since the base in Kumo was destroyed. Even with divine luck Naruto would only be on the edge of their territory before finally crossing over to Land of Frost. From there the smart thing would be to lay low and charter a boat, and then under the cover of darkness slip through into Hot Water via land. Everyone would be looking at the boats, and a foreigner chartering passage, legal or otherwise would attract attention.

Jiraiya had already reached Hot Water two days ago and was using his toads to bypass Frost into Kumo's coastline. Much of the journey had been relatively stable and quick, however as they got closer to the coast Jiraiya could feel a subtle difference in the atmosphere.

"Jiraiya-Dono. Something has happened here. The waters are not as calm as they appear."

Jiraiya looked downwards on the toad he was sat on.

"Can you tell what has happened? The pressure is off here."

The toad gave a small croak as it took in the surroundings.

"There has been a great amount of chakra expended, my estimates are large scale water or wind jutsus. Water mostly. Given that we are heading towards Kumo…" the toad left the rest unsaid.

Jiraiya bit is thumb and sighed

"Naruto is very much involved, I can feel it. How long ago do you think?"

"It is still going on Jiraiya-Dono" the toad replied, much to Jiraiya's shock. With another croak it carried on. "I can feel the chakra of the ninth one, hang tight Jiraiya-Dono"

Jiraiya nodded grimly and secured himself with chakra. No sooner had he done so the massive toad surged across the choppy waters, desperate to make landfall.

* * *

To be a Thunder Cloud was to rank among the best. Once a ninja made Chunin he could request reassignment to the Thunder Cloud squads. If a ninja showed promise the admin could make the offer regardless. Once consigned to the Thunder Clouds there was no coming out. The Squad structures were rigid and much like genin teams there was no change in members. Once the squad was formed it remained so until it was no longer viable.

The squad composition was recommended at six, in some instances as little as two or a squad of fifteen could be found, regulations however mandated six.

The _Heavy Rain_ squad had been six men strong from inception. They had no real difficulties coming together and had over a decade of experience together as a team. The bond between them was very strong.

So the loss of a member cut deep. Absolution via vengeance was the only way forward.

The ninja they were facing was very skilled, his movements the epitome of efficiency and poise. His situational awareness was top notch and grasp of tactics exceptional.

Still, _Heavy Rain_ were more than a match for him. And it had been a while they had defeated a worthy opponent.

They hadn't been able to identify the ninja's origin; there was no visible hitaite, and he had yet utilised any real jutsus or skills to give himself away. Not that it mattered much; the squad were not in a talking mood.

Michio was the designated leader of the team, and as much as he should have he couldn't find it in himself to reign in his trigger happy teammates. A set of twins, Aika and Kozue had thrown themselves headfirst at the invader for the death of Juro. The twins were Kunoichi and were the squad's front line melee fighters. Their teamwork was unparalleled and it was the arrogant and foolish that underestimated them

Juro had been a shy individual. The boy's sensory skills had been hypersensitive; it was a wonder he made it through shinobi training. Aika and Kozue had taken to the younger boy, much to his mortification. The constant teasing didn't help though none were ever in earshot of the twins; retribution was often swift due to their trigger happy natures.

His death had been sudden. So swift none had time to even consider or prepare. And following that the rage of the twins kept them in pursuit. Michio didn't mind; he was equally fond of their youngest member so extracting their pound of flesh would go a long way to help them grieve.

While the twins pounded away it was his job to analyse the enemy, and cover their final members. Takeo and Takeshi rounded the squad off. Over the last few years they had perfected the use of combination jutsus.

Still, despite his anger Michio kept good control of his faculties. He hadn't forgotten how they spotted the enemy in the first place, and looking back he cursed the impulsiveness of his teammates but more importantly his own inaction in holding them back.

After all, flying ninjas were rare. And this one was using mechanical means, one unlike he had ever seen or heard of. There had been some whispers, rumours, couple years back of a new type of flight based construct, used by Konoha during their war against Oto and Suna.

Nothing had been confirmed.

Michio decided it didn't really matter. Once the ninja was dead, if there was anything left of him they would take it back to Kumo for study, and then pick up Juro's for a proper burial.

Watching the lightning display rain downwards was always a treat and a mark of pride for the _Heavy Rain_ squad. It was a testament to their skills and accomplishments. To date, none had survived such heavy bombardment.

The air was heavy with ozone; the water canopy dissipated and the skies cleared. Michio observed the destruction.

His breath hitched. His eyes went wide in surprise.

 _No one! No one, has ever survived!_

A formation of earth walls littered around them. Michio felt like he was looking at a long corridor. There was extensive damage to the structures, but surprisingly most were relatively intact albeit filled with holes.

More importantly; their target was still alive…and completely untouched.

* * *

Jiraiya had called him a living generator, but even Naruto felt the drain as the chakra storm around him dissipated. Creating and maintaining a suitable defence was infinitely more difficult that attacking and thus exponentially more draining. The wide scale of the combination attack had also been an issue.

Naruto glanced round and took note the scale of the damage. The rocks and boulders still glowed red hot, as did the ground around them. He looked at the earth walls he made and they too had not gone unscathed. Some had fallen completely, while others had various cracks, holes and the occasional missing segments. The worst of the damage was on those furthest from him, the earth walls by him were relatively untouched.

Naruto smirked in accomplishment. He straightened up and lightly brushed the dust off his clothes, his actions calculated to further unnerve the Kumo Nins.

"Wh-who are you?" one of the Kumo Nins stammered out before their commander could stop them.

Naruto smirked as he felt Kyuubi's chakra still thrumming through him. One moment his eyes flashed….

….the next he was beside them. In between their formation.

Shock and instincts took over. The twins reacted in a pincer move. Naruto remained still as they closed in; one high and the other low.

All were surprised when their attacks _completely missed._ Even at the short distance they went completely wide.

"Aika! Kozue!"

The shout came out too late. The twins jerked and gasped in pain, before going still. The remaining Kumo Nins looked on in horror as the bodies went slack and gently dropped to the ground.

Golden threads pulled out of from multiple entry wounds, writhing and coiling together before coming apart, repeating the process continually. The Kumo Nins followed the threads all the way to the enemies head.

 _Hair!_

Naruto noted as realisation hit the three remaining Nins and decided to go one step further. He pulled out his hitaite from his robes and secured it to his forehead. The symbol of his village gleamed in the light and once again he felt pride at wearing it.

"Konoha!" The name was hissed out, with so much venom and loathing it was hard not to imagine poison or rot weeping from a wound.

Naruto could tell one of the Nins was ready to bolt, however their commander was resolute. His anger blinded him and it was something that could be exploited. Naruto just had to make sure he kept all three in range and dispatch them.

Suddenly he blinked rapidly and then relaxed. The Kumo Nins again were thrown off balance at the sudden loss of tension.

Light dimmed and a great shadow was cast over them. They glanced up sharply but it was too late.

The earth rumbled as large toad made landfall, flattening everything around it.

Jiraiya paid no attention to the late Kumo Nins. His eyes scanned the area, trying to penetrate the heavy dust. His ears picked up slight fluttering behind him.

"Jiraiya-Sensei, the mission was a failure." Jiraiya turned mechanically to face his student. His eye twitched….rapidly.

* * *

The three day journey back had been awkward. Naruto conversed easily with the giant toad, sipping a cup of tea as they travelled. Jiraiya however was ramrod straight and tense. Occasionally he would glance at his student as if measuring him, before turning away. Naruto could feel the turmoil in the Sannin though he held it well; the stance however told him that any overture attempts would be unwelcome so he kept things light and casual between himself and the giant toad.

As they neared Konoha's borders Naruto felt familiar presences.

"Were we expecting guests?" Jiraiya looked up at him in appraisal so he continued, pointing just east of them "Hatake-Sensei is moving swiftly, very soon he would cross the border. Also I believe Sakura is with him, along with a faint signature I can't quite make out."

As Naruto spoke a frown grew on his face as he measured yet another signature, following Kakashi's team at a distance. It felt hollow, flat, muted. It was a state directly opposed to himself and he couldn't help recoil away from it.

"Naruto" at the call of his name Naruto came out of his reverie and locked onto the worried face of Jiraiya. He shook off the residual feelings.

"Apologies Jiraiya-Sensei, I'm fine now. There is an unfamiliar presence following Hatake-Sensei…the chakra caught me by surprise."

Jiraiya gave him a steady glance, but let him be. With a quick word the toad changed directions and in a single hop covered the distance to the Konoha team.

"Jiraiya-Sama!" Kakashi called out as he steadied himself from the ground shakes. The Jonin's sharp gaze then caught sight of Naruto.

"You have an unwanted shadow Hatake. Get your team up here; we are heading back to Konoha."

* * *

"….so that I understand this correctly, you went to Kumo with the express intention of breaking into an installation belonging to Orochimaru. An installation Konoha, and by extension Kumo, had no prior knowledge of, you make the unilateral decision to raid and dismantle, in a manner similar to the three previous bases around the continent which again, might I add, we had no prior knowledge off."

The air was saturated with such chakra it was a wonder they could even see straight. Jiraiya stood behind and to the side of his teammate, displeasure across his face. Kakashi leaned casually by the window, although the more astute observers could see the tension in his muscles and how his eye darted and narrowed at every action from Naruto.

The Elder Council were also present, adding to Tsunade's ire but on this she could do little to refuse them. Losing their Jinchuriki for however long or short a time did not sit well with them. Never had Tsunade wanted to brain someone so badly as the moment she had him in front of her.

"In succinct terms, yes Hokage-Sama."

She twitched visibly and the pressure spiked, causing some of the furniture to groan.

"You better have a good reason for this _Chunin_ Uzumaki."

Naruto nodded and slowly reached into his robes, seeing no sign for him to stop he carried on until he pulled out a sealing scroll.

"Permission to unseal and begin my debrief?"

"Granted"

Naruto unravelled the scroll and with a pulse of chakra unsealed to documents, one stained with blood. He looked over at Jiraiya and then passed them to Kakashi. Kakashi gave a cursory glance and looked bewildered as he passed it on to Jiraiya. Jiraiya took both documents, as he looked on his face changed to surprise and disbelief. His scrutiny increased as he looked over each document in detail, growing more concerned with each minute.

"Jiraiya?" Tsunade called out with impatience and worry. Her fellow Sannin merely looked up, just as bewildered with nothing to say.

"Per my orders from Jiraiya-Sensei I was to meet up with one of his contacts, a small clan called Fuma that he had encountered in his travels." Naruto began.

"Fuma, I haven't heard that clan name in a while" Homura mused.

Naruto gave a polite bow and continued.

"The clan have grown nomadic, they were well known as formidable opponents in Rain Country although they remain mostly within Fire Country territory these days. I was to meet up with them as part of my training and assessment, as well as increase ties for Konoha if it became necessary."

Naruto paused to let the information sink in.

"I met up with the Fuma Clan, we exchanged authentication seals and everything seemed to check out." Naruto turned back to Jiraiya, seeing the Sannin shake his head.

"Impossible. They never made it to the rendezvous."

"And yet I met up with a clan, bearing all the right identifiers you provided sensei." Naruto countered softly. He shook his head and carried on looking at Tsunade "Regardless I joined up with the Clan."

"Even with the codes verified I didn't feel right. My instincts were running haywire and I couldn't relax, there was a hungry anticipation in the air. By the time they were ready to act I was too alert and already several steps ahead of them."

Naruto described the brief battle that occurred, his use of puppets and other skills he and Jiraiya had been working on. He gave a brief overview of the average skill level of the Clan members, ranging from low level Chunin to just bordering Jonin level skill. When queried how he dealt with the numbers and the higher tier ninjas, his answer was succinct.

"Stealth and Kyuubi."

From the feeling he got around the room the Konoha Jinchuriki could tell they were impressed with his growth and skills. It was no easy feat, taking on greater numbers, especially of varying skill levels. While it was possible to make short work of lower skilled individuals they tied up ones attention, and could easily spell trouble as more skilled opponents took advantage of the situation.

Still, between his puppets and Kyuubi he made short work of the Clan.

"After dispatching the last of them I went through all the documents I could find, that was how I found out what was going on." Naruto retrieved another set of files and handed it directly to Tsunade.

Tsunade perused the files with a raised eyebrow before passing it along to the Elders.

"Crime of opportunity? I'm having trouble believing that. The fact that Jiraiya had contacts in a clan called Fuma, and Orochimaru had _another_ clan also called Fuma, that is a once in a lifetime coincidence. More so that they are not the same Clan" she murmured.

Both Jiraiya and Naruto shook their heads.

"Naruto does good work; the clan markings he brought back are very different from my contacts. Their combat profiles also greatly differ."

"Indeed." All heads turned to Danzo as he spoke for the first time since the meeting began. "I am quite familiar with the clan Jiraiya is acquainted with. They are known to be the likely originators of the Fuma Shuriken, as previously stated they are of considerable skill."

"So, Orochimaru had them delayed from meeting Naruto while falsifying Jiraiya-Sama's authentication seals, probably stealing the ones from the Fuma Clan as well. All in order to trap Naruto, possibly to capture or kill him." Kakashi summarised as he glanced around.

"Orochimaru did declare your life forfeit in Shukuba; I doubt he has forgotten yet." Jiraiya addressed Naruto directly. "So I'm sure you can understand why I think your stirring the snake pit is the height of foolishness."

"There is truth in Jiraiya-Kun's words, young Uzumaki" Homura rumbled as he frowned. "Understanding the situation, why did you choose to engage Oto further? You successfully disrupted the snake's plan, why not return to the village for debriefing, or at least try to meet up with Jiraiya-Kun?"

Naruto remain silent for a while contemplating how best to word his statement.

"I'm unsure how far into the file you have looked. It wasn't really my intention to hunt Orochimaru or the Oto Nins; however there was a small window of opportunity to find out more of the situation. From what I was able to understand the clan would hand me over alive or dead, the meeting point was noted and from their other records it wasn't far from one of Orochimaru's bases."

"I used the rendezvous to ambush the Oto Nins and pulled more information on the base and anything on Orochimaru's current and long term operations. He has multiple active bases across the continent, each a self-contained unit, and several dead sights. They use a rotation system, moving from one location to the next as necessary, making them difficult to track. The premium bases are fully set up and have high levels of security. They would allow Orochimaru to carry on his research in the event of a sudden move with negligible loss in data and materials."

Tsunade grabbed the file back and began looking it over in earnest, with Jiraiya looking on over her shoulder. Everyone was on high alert as Naruto unveiled a wealth of information.

"As I said each is a self-contained unit and is relatively autonomous. Information can often be slow reaching the outer tier bases, so by the time my raids became an issue I was already planning my fourth one. This was one of the more important bases, if by its location alone."

Slow nods echoed around. Having any form of safe haven in Lighting, considering the countries stance and aggressiveness, was quite the coup for the Snake Sannin. The loss would have far reaching effects, all thanks to Naruto's efforts.

"Hmm, I must say I am impressed with what you accomplished so far. I will continue to watch your career with greater interest." Danzo turned his sole eye on Naruto, and it felt like the hand of the Shinigami caressing his throat.

Naruto hid his discomfort well.

"It was the least of my duties to my village; that said I thank you for your recognition and kind words" Naruto uttered softly as he bowed his head.

Danzo gave a slight nod before turning to Tsunade.

"It seems we have much to contemplate. By your leave I will retire and consider these matters carefully."

Alongside him Homura and Koharu uttered similar sentiments and with a nod from Tsunade they filtered out of the room.

* * *

"Uzumaki-Kun is turning out to be a formidable asset to Konoha. I could not have imagined that he could accomplish this much, perhaps we were wrong about Jiraiya-Kun as of late, if these results are any indication of his teaching abilities." Homura muttered as they walked slowly into their private chambers.

Koharu merely hummed as she reviewed the files content mentally. Even she could not help but be impressed at how much had been done by the blonde Jinchuriki.

"What do you think, Danzo?" she queried as she turned to their third member.

Danzo moved slowly further into the room and eased himself into his usual seat.

"That child is far more dangerous that you realise."

Homura and Koharu blinked at the statement. They too sat down and waited as Danzo formulated his words.

"He has had the advantage of a Sannin involved with his training, but for a relatively new and unknown Chunin to take out the remnants of a clan and a fraction of Orochimaru's support structure…." Danzo trailed off and shook his head in amusement.

"Would we have had ten of him years ago? Who knows what we could have accomplished."

Silence reigned for a bit.

"That said, there is much he has left out. The speed at which those bases fell one after the other, the locations of each one, all within at least a seven month period. Each of those bases were targeted there can be no other conclusion."

Homura leaned backwards and pondered the puzzle Danzo laid out. Koharu meanwhile was thinking furiously over the files she read.

"There was a fair amount of census data in those files. Locations of multiple hideouts, some random bits of data." Koharu muttered as she tried to find a pattern. "If what you say is true, Uzumaki-Kun might have been looking for something specific. Something he could probably find in one of those bases."

"Or Someone" Homura cut in.

All conversation stopped as they pondered this angle.

 _Uchiha Sasuke_

Two sets of eyes lit up and just as quickly dimmed.

"And so far I was impressed with him." Koharu sniffed haughtily while Homura sighed.

"He did manage to destabilise a portion of the snakes' power structure. For the time being Orochimaru would be cautious and we know that Tsunade would not rest on her laurels. Young Uzumaki managed to do some good, let us not spoil the accomplishment."

Koharu pursed her lips but kept her peace.

Danzo however...

* * *

"Now that they've gone, what did you leave out that you didn't want them to hear?" Tsunade queried dryly, a short while after the Elders had left. Her gaze was on Naruto like a hawk and he couldn't help the slight shiver. Her eyes narrowing further didn't do his nerves any good, so he came out with it.

"It wasn't Orochimaru that set the trap."

Jiraiya snorted.

"Really, I could have told you that."

Naruto glared at his one-time sensei then bit back.

"Okay, good. How about this; I think Akatsuki set the whole thing up."

That stopped everyone short. Tsunade quickly regained her composure and growled a single word.

"Explain."

Naruto merely nodded and steeled himself.

"We know very little about the organisation save the two members that came after me. That much I gleaned while working with Jiraiya for nearly two years. Suddenly he gets a tip that could give us everything we need. Jiraiya-Sensei is one of the best spy masters in the world. The only problem is time."

Jiraiya remained stationary, but everyone could tell he agreed with Naruto.

"Given the circumstances we devoted a lot of time and energy to my training; that cost us on intelligence. We are at least two years behind on that front. Keeping abreast of details is a far cry from covert operations. Sooner or later Jiraiya-Sensei would need to get back into the game and before long he would gain access to who knows what levels of information."

Naruto paused before dealing the first blow.

"Now, who says Akatsuki have to be willing to wait for that moment?" Glancing round he continued "It is our best interest that Jiraiya acquires all the information he can get; it is in _their_ best interests to deny him that. All it would take is a little-"

"-Misdirection" Kakashi breathed out, eye wide. Meanwhile sharp realisation hit Jiraiya and he groaned out loud. Tsunade looked at each one, eyebrow raised.

"I'm waiting."

Jiraiya shook his head.

"Think about it Tsu-Hime. My network was compromised for this reason. Separate me from Naruto and I would spend the subsequent time chasing him, not Akatsuki. By the time I resume my spy detail so many trails would have gone cold or lead me in circles. Clever bastards" Jiraiya cursed out at the end.

Naruto nodded and continued.

"It is also the reason I didn't report back." He pulled out a final scroll and handed it to Tsunade. This one held a list of names. And headbands.

All were slashed.

"Nothing above B-Rank. Mostly C-ranks levels of skill." He supplied carefully as Tsunade's eye twitched at the implication. There weren't many headbands but the message was clear.

"Whenever I tried to make my way back I was ambushed. I finally managed to get some details out of one of them. Someone was able to falsify a bounty fitting my general description, however my skills were mostly downplayed and the bounty itself would attract the low tier or just desperate." Naruto ran a hand through his long hair"

"I didn't take it seriously until I came to an inn, near the borders of Fire Country. The increased ninja presence was worrying, but none more so than the fact that a substantial bounty had been placed on short notice and the target was in my general area. Worse still a hunter's mark had been called out; Mamaragan was bagging the bounty."

The atmosphere went severe at the name.

"Mamaragan. One of the few old guards alive, a very dangerous opponent." Tsunade murmured, pensive. Kakashi was tense, so too was Jiraiya. Mamaragan was one of Kumo's best ninjas, fiercely loyal to the Third Raikage. It was said he left Lighting on a promise to the Third, although to date no one knew the final words the two shared.

"Again the details had more than a passing resemblance to me. I couldn't flee for fear of drawing attention, yet I couldn't stay else I be caught. Then word went round that Mamaragan had found his target and was leaving. It was a near mass exodus and ninjas made themselves scarce."

Naruto shook his head in a depreciating chuckle.

"It's funny; we actually shared a table for a brief moment. He mused out loud that our actions often came with many consequences, and often the lesser option might have as much impact as the greater."

"After that I stopped trying to get to Konoha and the ambushes stopped. Following that I got notes on Orochimaru's bases and basic details of security and fighting strength."

Kakashi shook his head.

"You know they were using you, probably observing you as well. It was reckless."

Naruto retorted immediately "I had very little choice in the matter, considering the lengths they took to keep me apart from everyone I'm surprised they didn't bother to snatch me while they had the chance."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin.

"You have a point. How can you be sure its Akatsuki then? As you said they could have just taken you, rather than play games."

Naruto looked around, his single blue eye grave.

"Because the alternative is too difficult to contemplate. Akatsuki is bad enough, but at least we know about those ghosts. Another group capable of pulling this many strings from the shadows, without us being aware? That doesn't bode well for anyone sensei."

None had a comeback to that.

"Naruto. I'm attaching you back to Kakashi's command. Comeback tomorrow for a full mission assignment and combat assessment. Jiraiya you need to head out now, you have a lot cut out for you." Tsunade commanded.

Kakashi pushed off the wall and walked over to Naruto, he ruffled the teen's hair, amused at the disgruntled look.

"I'll escort you out Jiraiya-Sama. Naruto see you tomorrow." At that twin pulses of chakra rang out in high speed shushin.

* * *

Silence reigned for a while. No one moved, not even a muscle.

Finally Naruto opened his mouth, finding it suddenly dry as he tried to speak.

"Tsunade-Hime. I-I'm sorry for worry-"his words cut off as he was suddenly engulfed in an embrace. He blinked in shock, only just realising how much taller than her he was. He felt her shoulders shake slightly, and then he draped his arm around her. His chakra pulsed softly, warm and she squeezed tighter, snuggling further into his chest.

"I'm just glad you're safe. Welcome home…Otouto.

* * *

 _ **A.N. Hey again, hope you all enjoyed the chapter.**_

 ** _To the reviewers, thanks for the comments and criticisms, all help me keep going. only two real questions that need answers._**

 ** _Formeraxe: If you mean during the five month period, then its because he thought he could quickly track Naruto, however time passed and he was coming to his designated end period, he couldn't keep it a secret for long._**

 ** _Seta88: Book 1 set up the foundation, and its here we get to see them truly interact and grow. Both are damaged people, strong but vulnerable. Plus they both have loose familial ties that they cling to. Naruto keeps Tsunade grounded, gives her something to believe in, that is the main reason she is trying. Naruto however wants a family, to him nothing is more sacred and anything that threatens that is eliminated. Personally i wish we saw more interaction between those two, i just thought to build on that._**

Thanks again - please also check out my mini series going on: Naruto Strings & Theory - Times Before Trials. depending on how things go i might keep it up or stop altogether, however let me know your thoughts.

Thanks and catch y'all later


	5. Are You Prepared?

_**A.N. Hey all & welcome to another chapter. i dont think there is anything to cover, except to say thank you again for your support and say hello to the new follows and faves. **_

**_Anyways, onward to Glory!_**

* * *

For the rest of the day Naruto and Tsunade remained in close proximity. Tsunade was reluctant to let him out of her sight, and Naruto himself was in no real hurry to go anywhere. So while she worked away Naruto remained in the office, perusing the various books on the shelf, napping or just tinkering away whatever caught his fancy.

Tsunade kept an eye out, casually observing as her little brother seemed content to manipulate the laws and nature of chakra as he slouched on one of the window seats. He had his left hand behind his head; where his right arm should have been, his coat dangled freely, drawing attention to the missing limb.

Tsunade bit her lip, she wanted to ask what had happened, after all he went through the surgery in Suna and Jiraiya had confirmed he had been working on several replacements. All queries however were halted by his display.

Tsunade watched on as an untold number of chakra strands, paraded around her little brother… _as hair._

His hair had lost their spiky yet wavy look of yesteryear, and was now long and silky, straight whenever it wasn't serving as a conduit for his chakra. The sheer volume was unbelievable, more so was the display of absolute control over it. Much of the hair was used as a support, a cushion for him to relax on, however Naruto was manipulating them as easily as one does their limbs.

Several in fact, were shaped as limbs, hands to be precise. Complete with five fingers and opposable thumbs.

Tsunade couldn't hide her amusement as several came together, running through random handseals at speeds that put dedicated jutsu specialists to shame. Still others made finger and shadow puppets, fighting miniature wars and mock battles as they killed off each other. A light chuckle escaped her lips. Despite her attempts she could tell Naruto had heard her, if the wide grin on his face and his teasing glances were anything to go bye. Tsunade merely rolled her eyes and gave up trying to be discreet.

Naruto had certainly grown, that much was clear to her.

His attire had changed once again; now he sported a full length hooded black coat, barely keeping of the floor. A large grey zipper was used to fasten at the top and zip down to the bottom, stopping just above the knees. The coat was lined on the inside with fur; the sleeve ends were also trimmed with fur and on the right sleeve four uniform grooves appeared, evenly spaced.

Underneath as far as Tsunade could see were heavy duty black shinobi trousers with black ninja grade sandals.

The other standout was in his hair. She had already noted its length and different styling, the other major change were the red streaks that blended in among his golden tones.

Now that she looked closer it was more a series of red-orange highlights from root to tips, more than a third of his hair was shaded in the colour. Tsunade wasn't sure how she felt about her little brother's choice of hair dyes, but she chucked it down to a form of belated rebelliousness. Also, the colour felt…right, considering their shared Uzumaki heritage.

While he wasn't as broad as Jiraiya he was matching the Sannin for height. Also when he had his arm around her Tsunade could feel a solid core of chakra, thrumming gently underneath the surface, just waiting to spill over.

She shivered slightly at the memory of the chakra. His chakra had grown more potent since he left for his training, and she was more than curious at how much he had learned.

Speaking of chakra, Tsunade noted as the smile dimmed slightly on his face and his eye flashed. The playful flame like dance of his hair slowed and the chakra pressure shifted once again. Tsunade couldn't really tell what had happened but experience had her hairs on end.

Naruto was doing something with his chakra, not just an average game or trick. Something….anomalous, it was the only way she could describe the barely their feeling she was getting.

She focused hard on the area around Naruto, and as she did she thought there was something strange about the way his hair moved, and the space just in front of his chest. His hair seemed to form a…cage? Barrier? Holding something in place…?

Before she could begin to understand the feeling dissipated and Naruto let go of his chakra. He sighed as he leaned backwards, however Tsunade caught a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.

She resolved to ask him later what it was all about.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi strolled through the village. His infamous book was out for all to see however, despite the fact it was the latest copy of his favourite author, his mind was simply not on the pages.

He was getting his team back together…sans one member.

He had kept abreast of Sakura's training and growth, even sharing a few words with Takada when she was assigned to Thirteen-Black. The Chunin commander seemed to have an idea of what Kakashi was feeling so would at times provide updates or tidbits of information regarding his former student; that said he brooked no interference from Kakashi. Sakura was now his to command and he made the fact very clear.

Kakashi readily accepted the status quo, after all he had very little to do with her development. Much like how his team started out, a group given a free pass, Kakashi felt every bit the failure as people commended him on getting her ready, laying a foundation for her skills.

And if the case with Sakura was bad, Naruto was probably worse.

Naruto's skill set were alien to Konoha standards. There was absolutely no one who could train him in the arts he had chosen to specialise, and even he knew it. But Kakashi had allowed that passive acceptance to blind him, with all his talk on teamwork he himself turned out to be the biggest hypocrite.

Jiraiya had given him a rundown on the training he and Naruto had been involved in. The truly sad thing was a good half of the training was something he could have done while Naruto was with him; war-games, ninjutsu training, just to name a few.

He, Hatake Kakashi, was a lousy teacher.

And now he had back under his command, the only team he ever had. There was very little he could teach them now and maybe that was a good thing. He could be a mentor if they desired, and their leader on missions.

He failed all three of them once; he would not be failing the two left again.

* * *

 _Land of Frost_

Sasori moved casually through the busy streets. He observed the tradesmen and merchants pedal their wares, children laughing and running amok, the usual normalcy of civilian life.

All of it simply passed through him.

As he walked something caught his gaze and he slowed to a stop. One of the vendors was actually a street performer; the children were clambering around him and cheering at the show.

Something about it had him surprisingly curious so he moved closer; his curiosity bled into amusement as he took in the scene.

It was a puppet show. A simple string puppet show.

The elderly puppeteer was a master of his craft, Sasori could see from the way he deftly plucked at the strings, the way his voice rose and fell in tandem to the story he wove.

A tale of myth and legends, dragons and strife, challenges and victory.

As the story came to an end the puppets they broke into a dance to the tunes of the children. The elderly puppeteer kept a good performance, but he could only control two of his puppets at a time, and would often look slightly forlorn at the ones left behind.

Sasori slipped through the crowd and was sat cross legged beside the elderly puppeteer, humming along to the song. As he picked up two of the puppets two more figures slipped in, humming just as well. The elderly man looked on in surprise, but then delight as more puppets joined the dance, to the delight of onlookers and the little children. The puppet men and women twirled around on plucked strings, the dragons danced through the air, the animals leaped and frolicked to the sounds of laughter and music.

The show ended with a sounding ovation.

"Thank you, all of you." The elderly man wheezed his voice slightly hoarse. Despite the tiredness his eyes were very alert and lit up in delight. He turned to Sasori and the others seated by him as the crowd slowly dispersed.

"Thank you. Thank you for helping make this a more joyous performance. I haven't managed that in a long time."

The appreciation was clear in the elders' tones; Sasori however was focused on the puppets. Despite their age he could see they were well cared for, lovingly preserved and not merely ornaments. They showed signs of dedicated use, something he thoroughly approved.

"You have steady hands old one. And you have a joy for your craft. These puppets are exquisite." Sasori commented. The elderly man nodded in appreciation as he ran a gentle hand over the puppets.

"I have always loved puppets, the joy in crafting, not just their forms but their stories as well." He then glanced back at Sasori "You have talent as well, to move them as you do."

Sasori glanced at him, amused.

"You think so?"

"I know so" The elder nodded decisively "There was passion in the motion, only another who loves the craft could see it as we would. The puppets came alive because you willed it to be so. I have sung these stories for over five decades and never in all that time have these puppets danced as they have today. At your hands….or those of your craft."

Sasori's glance sharpened but remained amused. The old man remained mild and slowly raised his hands.

"I am no ninja, just a simple man with a love of puppets than run deep. They are all I care about, and too see them dance this way…it is a memory I will treasure."

Sasori said nothing and silence passed between them. He then gave a light chuckle. He spied the elder's cart, full of various puppet types.

"Very well then, perhaps one final gift. One final tale." As the elder looked on, curious but hopeful, Sasori retrieved more of the puppets, summoned more of his arsenal, arrayed with various instruments.

Drums beat a gentle bass, pipes blowing a tantalising tune. Onlookers had their curiosity peaked and the elder was awash with delight to see his puppets glow.

 _The Nine Warlords and Truth of Art Eternal…._

* * *

The next day in Konoha was filled with anticipation. Word had gone round that Naruto was back in the village and was met with mixed feelings, although for the first time it was mostly neutral. His escapades during the Chunin exam and the aid of several high profile ninjas had managed to shift much of the negative public perception of him.

His former classmates however welcomed the fact that he had returned; Lee had been loud in his desire to welcome back the blonde, and Kiba had gone on a long rant that he would finally get the chance for a rematch, something Neji also desired but never voiced out loud. Hinata had blushed and twiddled her fingers, Choji just wanted to wish him well. Ino and Tenten were not as fixated, however they too wanted to see how far he had come.

And then there were his best friends.

Shino had been one of the team members chosen to go with Kakashi and reinforce Jiraiya, along with Sakura in case they needed a medic. Naruto was most of all looking forward to catch up with the Aburame and Shikamaru.

Sakura; was his little sister. With her it was more of a chance to irritate her, as all big brothers should.

There would be time to see everyone and catch up. For the moment he had more immediate concerns.

The very first of which was Kakashi…waiting at the training grounds. _Before any of them._

He glanced to the equally shocked Sakura. Clearly she too hadn't expected their sensei to be present on time, much less before them.

"Yo" Came his customary greeting. While it wasn't strange, the fact that he didn't have his book out, and the slightly more solemn tone didn't sit well with either Naruto or Sakura. The only reason Naruto hadn't even gone for him, was the fact that the chakra signature did indeed belong to their chronically tardy sensei.

"Kakashi-Sensei" Sakura greeted, happy yet cautious. "We weren't expecting you for…sometime."

Kakashi cocked his head.

"I thought it'd be best to be on time today." Kakashi's tone was mild, but it was setting of conflicting signals in his students. The Jonin sighed as he came to a decision.

"Sensei…is something wrong?" Sakura queried gently, her eyes went wide as the proud Jonin slowly went on his knees, and bowed face first into the earth.

"Both of you, please forgive me."

Naruto was motionless, still as stone. Sakura however looked on in shock. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she glanced between Naruto and their sensei. No one could speak for several minutes.

"Sensei, there is nothing to forgive." Sakura whispered, Naruto chose to remain silent.

"No, there is. I forgot my own lessons. I struggled to find a way to teach all three of you and so I abandoned two of you in favour of one that I could easily work with. I betrayed my own ideals at the cost of you. For my part in holding you back, I ask for your forgiveness."

"….it was not a blanket neglect sensei. If you really desire it though, then you have my forgiveness. You helped me take the first step." Sakura stepped closer to the Jonin and dropped down in front of him. With a surprising display of physical strength she picked him up and had him on his feet. She held his face tight and looked him in the eye.

"If you really want to make it up to us, now is the time."

Kakashi met her gaze head-on and gave a nod. He glanced over to Naruto and met the neutral stare. In Naruto's eye there was no judgment, no recrimination. Not a hint of bitterness.

 _His students had grown, far more than he ever imagined…and he had missed some of it._

Naruto gave a slight nod and Kakashi sent one in return.

He reached into his pouch and pulled out two bells. As he raised them to head level the jingled softly.

"One more time?"

Naruto and Sakura gave slight smirks. Kakashi could feel a rush of anticipation, and a hint of disgruntlement.

 _Ohh my poor students…I guess I still have somethings to teach you._

"Okay sensei, we'll play one more time." Naruto stretched and popped his neck. Sakura also loosened up, flexing her fingers in anticipation.

"Noon again?"

Kakashi shook his head this time. The bells slowly moved, not to his belt…

But into his flak jacket pocket.

"No time limit, no rules of engagement. We go until you drop." the seriousness of the tone was not lost on his students. Kakashi approved as the snapped further alert. Naruto's stance subtly shifted; his defences even tighter. Sakura's form wavered ever so slightly, early warning signs of imminent chakra use.

"Now" Kakashi crouched and revealed his Sharingan, to his students surprise and delight. His chakra pulsed once. "Show me just how much I've missed."

* * *

The shinobi's handshake.

An initial series of moves, employed to set a baseline tone of an engagement between two or more opposing parties. An opener, a statement of intent, skilled ninjas can infer much about their opposer from the very first strikes.

The first move was Sakura's.

Chakra flared harshly around her fist and she smacked hard into the earth. Kakashi tensed in preparation to move, only to realise in shock, Naruto was behind him with a sword unsheathe.

 _Fast! Both of them have become so fast!_

Instincts took over. Kakashi spun round and ducked low pre-emptively. Naruto had yet committed to a full swing and Kakashi used the moment to spring backwards….

-Only to crash into an Earth Wall.

 _Doton: Earth Hands_

Kakashi's eyes widened further mini hands of earth form along the wall and held him fast. Meanwhile Naruto's darted in, his sword poised to split him in two.

 _Eight Celestial Gates: Gate of Opening – Unseal!_

Naruto fazed out of view and reappeared several feet behind the earth wall. His sword too remained blurry for a few more seconds before solidifying. As that happened the earth wall parted neatly in three ways.

 _Well played sensei_

Both Naruto and Sakura were of similar thoughts as they remained alert for their sensei. Suddenly she shifted to the side. Her form seemed hazy and indistinct, creating multiple shades as she moved. Naruto narrowed his gaze and felt around the edges of her chakra, quickly deducing the nature of her technique. The principles were relatively easy to understand, somehow Sakura had been able superimpose an untold number of Bunshins over herself. The Bunshins were in a state of flux, causing her to also look inconsistent while creating false trails and false movements. The more she moved the worse the effects. It was an impressive jutsu, and one that in the heat of battle could prove dangerous in the right hands.

Kakashi's Sharingan however wasn't easily fooled. The doujutsu burnt through the fake images and his fist rang out, just clipping her on the shoulder. Sakura spun with the blow and dropped low. Her leg shot out in a sweeping kick, hoping to force him to jump. Kakashi however stepped back. As he did an earth pillar blocked his view of Sakura. The pillar then cracked and spat shrapnel at the Jonin, forcing him to break off the engagement.

The stood silently in a rough triangle. Both Chunins against their Jonin Sensei.

Naruto straightened ad felt something was off. He shook his hair and noted the left side felt a tad lighter. His chakra pulsed as he verified his suspicions.

 _Unreal. In that instance he broke free and managed to launch an attack, whilst evading a near point blank blow. If I had been just inches to the left I would have lost an eye._

Naruto looked at his sensei, renewed admiration in his gaze. Sakura too was coming to the sudden realisation, if the slash on her bow was anything to go by.

Kakashi too however was beginning to appreciate the skill of his students. The slash across his flak jacket was a testament to Naruto's swordplay. What was even scarier was that the blond had only swung his sword _once, once!_

 _…_ _.And three marks to show for it._

He turned slightly towards Sakura, marveling at her jutsu…correction, jutsus.

Her Genjutsu was interesting, but her earth based Ninjutsus were more impressive, especially at the speed and ease she could pull them off.

 _This is going to be very interesting._

His feelings seemed to echo in both Chunins and they began sporting wild grins.

Sakura dropped her illusion and pulses her chakra hard. The earth rumbled. Four pillars rose from the ground; two encased her legs to just below the knee; the other two rose higher and cover her hands to the elbow. The earth groaned as pressure shaped and compressed them, forming makeshift gauntlets and greaves. Her grin grew more impish as she shook her hands and dropped into an offensive stance.

Naruto however was a vortex of chakra energy. His left arm hung loose by his side, a simple shirasaya in hand.

Kakashi was wary; his Sharingan could see the incredible amount of chakra flowing through the weapon. The more he gazed at it, the more the blade seemed to _hum_ , gently, in tandem with the chakra. As he eyes tracked back upwards he had another treat; the section of hair he managed to cut off was growing back at a rapid pace, right before his eyes. Not to mention Naruto's hair had further increased in length and volume, trailing across the floor, writhing as if it were alive. The clash of shimmering golden tones with blazing orange-red streaks was slightly disorienting; Kakashi again could feel the subtle pull of genjutsu and chuckled; for some reason his students were really taken with that particular art.

He watched as Naruto continued to smirk in challenge. His Sharingan spun as it tracked three distinct surges before they fully appeared; three puppets in formation around Naruto.

It seemed his students were done playing games. Good, but still…

"I thought you were a Medic Sakura? That is quite the offensive set up you have going" Kakashi called out nonchalantly as he popped his neck.

If she smiled any wider it couldn't look more hellish.

"I am a trained field Medic yes, and my promotion was due to that. But if you looked in my file you will see that is not my rating." At that Kakashi cocked his head, curious. From his side view he could tell Naruto was equally interested.

 _Tactical Assault and Support_

Both Naruto and Kakashi had raised eyebrows at that. Clearly they had both underestimated how far she had come.

"Now then-"She cocked her arm back. The chakra flare had Kakashi on edge. He was already moving, even as her fist met the earth; his arms came together, trying to shield him from the shockwave as the earth groaned and buckled from the strain.

"Let's Begin Sensei. Lesson One; Ninja Combat"

Kakashi had just enough time to shake his head, before scrambling away from a puppet strike, disappearing into the tree lines to the echoes of Naruto's laughter.

* * *

From the Hokage's office Tsunade observed Team Seven, by way of Sarutobi's crystal ball. Along with her was the Elder Council, despite the small size of the orb each person has a clear view of the action regardless of how far or where they sat.

Tsunade briefly marvelled at the nature of the artefact, one of the few surviving relics of Uzushi. More than once Sarutobi had used it to keep track of his students, back in their earlier years.

She dismissed those thoughts and briefly focused on the Elders. So far the clashes between them had been minimal, however it still rankled that they were now a fixture of military rule. In the short period since their inception they had imbedded themselves deeply into the system and it would be difficult to remove them. She was however determined to make good on her word; a maximum of seven years and then the system would be abolished. For now she would bear with it.

Glancing from the Elders to the central table she spotted several files, contents spilled across the surface. Again Team Seven; the reason they were together and observing via the crystal ball. So far the updated file painted a very impressive picture.

All however knew, the primary interest was in Naruto; the Kyuubi Jinchuriki.

The files he left her, coupled with Jiraiya's own reports had already solidified the decision in her mind. That was where the issues began; the Elders in their wisdom were very reluctant, and while normally she would bypass them and act, in this matter such actions were not practical, not with the potential long term fallout.

Hence they were observing the battle. If Naruto performed as expected, it would give the Elders less room to manoeuvre.

She turned back to the crystal ball, a ghost of a smile fleeted across her face as she continued to watch.

* * *

Sakura bit back a scream as she flew backwards. She worked through the pain, twisting and tucking into a ball as she went, before coming to an abrupt stop as a rock wall intercepted her flight. She gave a soft grunt as her knees bent to absorb the impact; a quick glance told her it wasn't a rock wall, more like a moving E _arth Dragon,_ if the speed it was travelling at was anything to go by. She steadied herself and gave a quick nod in thanks to her teammate; her chakra pulsed as she maintained a firm grip to its side.

Naruto nodded in response, swaying slightly as the Earth Dragon rumbled and sped across the battleground. Naruto remained firmly rooted at the head of the dragon; his senses were stretched to the max and myriads of threads ran through his hair, connecting him to his puppets, or creating a barely perceptible barrier around him.

The battle had been going on for several hours now, and neither side were showing signs of let up.

Sakura it seemed had grown more than they could have possibly anticipated. The intelligence and tactical sense had always been present from her genin days, but it was often wasted to the irritation of Naruto and exasperation of Kakashi. Now though there was a ruthless efficiency, developed under Tsunade and honed by the Chunin Squad assignment.

The taijutsu engagement between her and Kakashi had been an eye opener. Her technique was nothing too special, complementing her speed and form. It was something than Kakashi could easily match and counter, to some extent he felt a bit let down…

-until he almost had his hand impaled by a makeshift earth spear, curtesy of the rock gauntlets on her arms. From there things shifted, making him more wary. Her hits had been 'rock solid', near impossible to guard against so he had taken to deflecting her strikes. Now however with the earth around her arms shifting to form spikes and jagged edges, ensuring that Kakashi's only hope was to evade completely.

Again that wasn't something Kakashi couldn't work around; he had greater reach and much greater speed. That feeling lasted until she further upped the ante, and their sensei's heavily bruised chest was a testament to the fact.

Kakashi had been darting in and out of her attack range; in one pass Sakura's temper seemed to reach fever pitch as she desperately tried to land a blow only for Kakashi to push backwards, just out of reach. Naruto had been prepared to move in, and somehow he and Kakashi missed her reactions.

In the time it took to blink, Kakashi had been doubled over, tumbling across the floor with one arm over his chest, gasping hard for breath. His shinobi instincts were still sharp and with effort he scrambled to the left, escaping the hard impacts to the ground beside him. Naruto stopped short, stunned by the display.

He had glanced back to Sakura. She hadn't moved from her spot. Her fist was outstretched towards Kakashi; Naruto traced the chakra around her fist and noted that the earth composition was much lighter than it was previously. He took note of the fragments around her feet and could see were the earth shifted around to cover gaps.

Sakura grunted and launched another fist strike, still remaining in her spot. Her fist snapped out and Naruto's eyes widened further, as shards of earth launched straight for Kakashi.

Sakura had converted her melee jutsu, to be effective at range.

She closed in on Kakashi and Naruto noted as the distance shrank and she continued to launch her shrapnel the pattern changed. No longer were the tightly packed or moving in sequence; the shards were spread over a large enough area, making close encounters more perilous.

He had to give it to her, the technique was dangerous. Kakashi it seemed agreed, because he began avoiding taijutsu altogether with her.

Even more impressive, was Kakashi's ability to keep up the pace, maintain the pressure. In all the engagements so far and with all the knocks he had taken, not once had they been able to secure the bells. And their sensei continued to pull of jutsus at a rate that bordered on obscene, especially as Naruto could sense the man's chakra; substantial but only to a degree, Kakashi had one of the lowest pools for a Jonin.

In terms of skill however Kakashi was clearly above standard Jonin level; hell the man was clearly above elite Jonin levels.

A thrum of warm chakra ran through him and he shivered in delight. His puppets rattled ominously and the Earth Dragon groaned as more chakra flooded through it.

Everyone was so much stronger now, it was exhilarating, addicting.

And to think; between two of them they had not yet even showed their full hand!

* * *

The relish in Kakashi's eyes couldn't be denied. He was actually being tested, to a level and degree he did not anticipate. His muscles ached from the punishment but he couldn't bring himself to care.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself.

The Jonin ducked below another puppet strike, the weapon leaving a subtle ringing in the air as it swept passed. Kakashi was used to fighting the nausea caused and swept a kunai across its chest, scarring the outer shell even further. He had taken to reinforcing his kunai with chakra, if only to get passed the heavy armour to damage the core components. It was one of two heavy set puppets that Naruto was using against him.

The puppet was tall, much taller than he was and it moved like a wild beast, dual wielding weapons that looked like oversized tuning forks. The vibrations of them passing through the air were as a direct result of the unusual design.

The other puppet was equally tall, a theme of Naruto's puppet style, however their differences were apparent on sight. The bestial qualities of the first were missing on the second; its frame was smoother, but no less tough. This puppet also favoured a giant one-sided hammer, a weapon that it wielded with frightening speed.

There had been a third puppet, fortunately for Kakashi, they never found out what it could do. The moment the puppets were summoned and launched Kakashi let loose several trap seals, briefly severing Naruto's connection to his puppets. While still in shock he could do little to protect the one as Kakashi reduced it to ashes. Before the Jonin could dispatch the others in similar vein Naruto's chakra reverberated through the air; Kakashi's Sharingan briefly caught something, but it was so faint and working fast he could barely make out the details and his trap seals shattered. Naruto hadn't taken the utter immolation of one of his puppets and had set the Jonin on a merry game of 'Hide from Death'.

The co-ordination between the puppets and Sakura, with Naruto support again from the fringes atop his earth dragon, was near textbook perfect.

From what he had seen, Kakashi was satisfied with his student's skills.

* * *

As the fight kept on it was increasingly clear it was no longer about the bells, somewhere along the way it turned into a statement. A chance for each side to lay their cards on the table. A Chance to prove their worth.

For Kakashi; it was to prove he could be a good sensei. A mentor and a guide.

For Naruto and Sakura; it was to prove they were not dead weight. They were capable and tested Ninjas of Konoha.

Neither side was ready to give up.

Kakashi spun past the beast puppet, the name he had taken to calling that type. His Sharingan tracked Sakura in motion and with lightning he next course was mapped. He ducked below another strike, and dove passed a third. With a burst of chakra he was inside Sakura's guard. To her credit she didn't hesitate; her hands came up in defence, his Sharingan traced the early stages of a jutsu forming on the Rock Gauntlets.

 _Not this time Sakura._

Lightning chakra arced across his fingers and he jabbed into the compressed earth. Sakura hissed briefly at the surge. Then to her horror she felt her jutsu come undone, the earth falling off her fists in clumps. Before she could react Kakashi gave a thunderous blow to her midsection. She gasped painfully and almost fell limp on his fist, only to be pulled back hard by her teammate.

Naruto caught Sakura, just as his Earth Dragon reared its head.

 _Katon: Great Dragon Blaze._

Heat built rapidly in the dragon's mouth and turned into a blaze. Naruto's hair formed to hands and came together in the seal formation. With the Jutsu locked the blaze scorched its way towards Kakashi, covering ground rapidly.

 _Suiton: Great Water Dragon._

Kakashi's hands slapped together in seal and his chakra surged. Behind him the lake churned and a massive dragon of water rose up. It surged over Kakashi and met the fire jutsu head on. The air popped as the two forces made contact and steam hissed and filled the space between them. Kakashi was shocked at the sheer force from the Fire Dragon and poured chakra to desperately hold on to his technique. Fortunately for him Water beat Fire on the elemental wheel.

"Sensei" Kakashi had to strain to hear Naruto over the roar of their jutsus. The next words proved ominous.

"You might want to move, just a thought."

Another set of hands formed via Naruto's hair. A new seal chain formed and his chakra pulsed as the jutsu came alive.

 _Futon: Gale Force Winds._

In a show of skill, two smaller heads formed around the Earth Dragon as the fire raged on. Their eyes flashed and mouths opened wide, seconds later sharp fast moving winds erupted. As the wind burst out it made contact with the flames. The air distorted as the energies coalesced. The fire grew rapidly in size, pulling more of the wind and chakra.

A roar like that of a raging thunder god tore through the sky for miles as the combination jutsu decimated everything in its path. Sakura winced at the intense heat but Naruto remained unaffected. Finally he cut off the chakra and the jutsus dwindled out. Sakura could only gape at the level of destruction. The path of the flames was completely black; the ground charred and stripped of any sign of life and vegetation. In some areas it still glowed hot from the intense heat. The path led to the lake and even that wasn't spared. Steam rose angrily from the waters. Where the flames met the waters bubbles could also be seen, telling of the temperature difference to the surroundings.

Naruto gave a cautious glance around and shifted his puppets to alert. As they moved further away from him he gave a glance to Sakura and nod. Sakura nodded in return and cautiously moved began scanning the area, Naruto stepped of his Earth Dragon and let it dissipate. At the glance from Sakura he shrugged.

"Despite what people think, I do have limits Sakura."

She paused, and then shrugged in acceptance before looking around again for their sensei. Naruto shook his head and stretched out his senses. He had just taken one step-

 _Doton: Headhunter Jutsu._

Naruto looked down. His left leg left the ground, just avoiding a hand coming up from the charred earth, only to curse as a second hand grabbed his right. His left hand spun his sword. The blade was angled downwards to pierce the earth, only for the hand gripping him tight to spark with lightning chakra. His body went rigid and energy arced through him, before being pulled into the ground.

Naruto recovered, just in time to find himself planted in the earth, his connection to his puppets severed by the shocks. Sakura turned around to see his predicament, but before she could even move Kakashi had her in a vice grip, kunai angle to go through her jugular.

Kakashi looked overdone; he had only avoided being cooked by the raging firestorm. His flak jacket was charred and his exposed skin was pink due to the intense heat. Now though, he had his students on the ropes.

 _Game over._

"I think it's time we called this exercise over, Naruto? Sakura?" Kakashi queried, almost casually.

Naruto however could tell his sensei was exhausted although the Jonin did a very good job of hiding it. He gave a small sigh and popped his neck.

"Yeah, I think Sakura and I have seen all we needed. We are happy to work with you again...Kakashi-Sensei" The odd lilt in Naruto's address perked Kakashi's interest. He glanced down to his captive and felt her agreement in the statement.

"Thank you, I think. You have both shown amazing progress. Although you didn't get the bells I'm more than satisfied to call it here."

"Yeah, about that." Naruto cut in casually, too casually. Kakashi focused his attention on his blonde student and his Sharingan picked up subtle fluctuations in the boys chakra, however the deeper he looked the more perplexing, none of it really made much sense.

"I was just thinking we could wrap things up. So, Sakura? If you could kindly…."

Kakashi's eyebrow rose and he focused back on his captive, however it was too late.

 _Doton: Earth Shell_

Her chakra surged and the earth rumbled. Suddenly it rose up, trapping the Jonin to mid-thigh. More earth formations rose to encase both him and Sakura. In a flash Kakashi let go of Sakura. In another, lighting chakra roared, breaking down the earth compositions. In a third flash he was far away from Sakura.

-and right were Naruto wanted him

Kakashi's eyes widened as he noted the more than significant amount of chakra around Naruto, a closer look and he could make out shifting in the chakra, something was slowly taking shape, first in the chakra and his normal eye could see the distortions being reflected in the physical world.

Whatever it was he wanted no part of it.

He made to move but froze. He glanced down and saw the reason; multiple, very thin, very fine strands of hair bound him tight, interrupting any signals from reaching his limbs.

Then Naruto pounced.

 _Ways of Bindings:_

 _First Song – Six Rods of Light._

Chakra flashed and Kakashi gasped as six lines of binding chakra slammed hard into him, almost immediately locking down his chakra. The next surge told him Naruto wasn't done.

 _Second Song – Ethereal Chain Jail_

The air crinkled as chains of chakra formed and snaked around Kakashi, ensuring he couldn't physically move.

 _Final Song – Nine Sunlight Trap_

Kakashi looked on in amazement as nine fuinjutsu Kanji formed in the air. They wavered and drifted across his body; eight following the path of his chakra gates while the ninth settle just above his head. The seals flashed, reinforcing the other two and rubbing Kakashi of his will to fight.

Naruto straightened up, casually brushed dirt of his right sleeve. He smoothly sheathed his sword as Sakura walked up to their sensei. Her hand reached into his pockets….and came up empty.

She glanced at Naruto and then back to their sensei, checking every inch of him to no avail.

"Where are the bells, sensei?" Naruto queried, confused and more than a little frustrated. This was supposed to be their big win. The big finish…

"I swallowed them. I win."

* * *

 _ **A.N. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, just a few comments on some reviews.**_

 _ **Sabyashiv - Just wondering your thoughts based on this chapter; do you think he really deserves Jonin?**_

 _ **Jojo & Slimjim77 - Thanks, glad you like it and approve.**_

 _ **Waldo Santiago - One mans ruthless is another mans pragmatism (which is another way of saying he is ruthless)**_

 _ **Kakazustash - Yeah me too. When i started it felt like it was a constant feature, but as the chapters and story grew and adapted it didn't seem to fit. He still definately wants to be Hokage, its a forgone conclusion but there is a quiet menace to him now. Nothing is allowed to stop him and that makes him dangerous.**_

 _ **Everyone else - thank you for your comments and as usual support.**_

 _ **catch you all on the next one.**_


	6. First Blood

**_A.N. Hey all, and Happy New Year._**

 ** _Welcome back after what i think is three weeks or little more. We will be getting back into the swing of things and i hope you enjoy this update and the more to come._**

 ** _Again thank you for your reviews, and please keep em coming._**

 ** _Onwards to the chapter_**

* * *

 _Akatsuki Base_

In the shroud of shadows, nine figures shimmered and wavered in and out of focus. Each member an accomplished figure, all with S Rank titles to their names.

"The Biju are slowly coming under our control, only a few are left." One of the figures called out. Despite the fact that they all knew each other's identities, they purposely kept their features blurred. Or maybe it was just a feature of the projection jutsu employed. The only defining features were the eyes; in the case of the speaker, it was a pair of fully grey orbs, with concentric circles.

Legends called them the Rinnegan.

"Our funds are dwindling at a rate more than anticipated." Another voice interjected. "We cannot maintain our momentum with this state of affairs."

The Rinnegan wielder traced towards the speaker.

"Then I'll leave that to your discretion Kakuzu. You and Hidan have already completed your primary assignments."

After that he turned towards Sasori, his gaze measuring.

"I expect you and Deidara to be in Suna before the day is over. The Ichibi needs to be sealed, preferably before the Hachibi, and definitely before the Kyuubi."

"We'll get it done, wont we Sasori no Dana?" Deidara chirped in from the side. Sasori however remained silent, the constant movement and shimmering of his form told everyone he was otherwise engaged, probably with one or more of his puppets.

"Your information has revealed some interesting things regarding our old comrade Orochimaru. Perhaps we need to be more directly involved in his affairs. A topic we will consider once the Ichibi is in our possession. In the meantime, Itachi and Kisame, I want you both on standby. Be ready to move at a moment's notice."

Itachi gave a simple nod, his Sharingan active and twirling slowly in the gloom. Kisame smirked, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dark.

"We are still on the borders of Hidden Waterfall. It wouldn't be too difficult to move from there I believe Pain-Sama." Kisame commented.

Pain, the Rinnegan wielder glanced around all the members.

"We continue as we have. Deidara and Sasori, you know your assignment." The figures shifted, looking to depart.

"And Sasori, Itachi..." All figures stilled, focused on the two names called out, "Do not allow your games to interfere with Akatsuki's goals. The indulgence with the lost Uchiha and the Kyuubi Jinchuriki should remain that; an indulgence that will soon be put aside."

Sasori finally glanced up at pain and met the even stare. Neither spoke for a time, however the slight movement to the side of Sasori caught his attention. He shifted his gaze and saw Itachi, the Uchiha's Sharingan flashed lightly

 _Stand Down…._

Sasori remained still for a moment longer, before finally relaxing. Both focused on Pain and gave assenting nods.

"Good, now get me my Bijus."

* * *

 _Hokage's Office - Konoha_

"I am struggling to understand how two of some of my most gifted Chunins, one of which I personally trained, could have such serious lapses of judgement." Tsunade drawled, trying vainly to hide her smirk. To be fair she was irritated with the two in front of her, but the situation was so unreal, she could help her reaction. She could just make out Shizune on the background struggling to maintain her composure.

"If I may Hokage-Sama, I would not quite describe it as a lapse. Not in this context at least…"

She turned towards the speaker, the boy she was fond of as a little brother, with an eyebrow raised and a deadpan stare.

"Ohh" the retort was so dry it could drain a lake. She pointed sharply at Sakura, ignoring the flinch she continued, "So Sakura's decision to perform an unsanctioned, unethical, and unnecessary partial gastrectomy on your sensei, that does not ring of a lapse of judgement?" No one spoke.

"And then you. Not only do you _not_ stop your clearly brain addled teammate, you support her decision and proceeded to create a sterile environment via Fuinjutsu."

"All the more to minimise infection Hokage-Sama. Protocol is very clear on that fact, records and statistics indicate that a poorly-"Sakura piped up with Naruto nodding in the background. Before she could continue Tsunade slammed her palm onto the desk.

"You were not about to quote the guidelines to me, the one who standardised most of it in the first place." Tsunade commented. Her tone was light showing she was still amused, however her gaze held a warning.

No one spoke. Seconds went by. Shizune looked between her mentor and the two Chunins. Tsunade maintain a gaze so fine and surgical, yet Naruto refused to break.

Sakura on the other hand….

"Sensei cheated. He shouldn't have swallowed the bells. And the exercise wasn't over until we obtained them."

Naruto wanted to roll his eyes at the near petulant tone in his teammate's voice. Tsunade wanted to shake her head. She made to speak when a loud snort interrupted them.

All eyes turned to Shizune, who sported a mortifying look.

"I'm so sorry" she gasped out, before losing her composure completely and falling into complete hysterics. Tsunade merely sighed and rolled her eyes. She pretended to miss the gleam of satisfaction in the two Chunins.

"Aside from the unwarranted surgery procedures, well done." Tsunade said as Shizune slowly regained her composure. "Both of you."

Naruto and Sakura straightened as the tone grew serious.

"I have Kakashi's evaluation here, and I can endorse the recommendation to reinstate Team Seven."

Naruto and Sakura nodded.

"Thank you Hokage-Sama"

Tsunade leaned back in her chair and continued, "In the meantime we are reviewing a suitable attachment to the team. And as you might imagine, it has been a source of some…debate."

"I didn't think at this stage we absolutely required another member to our team Hokage-Sama" Naruto called out, "After all, myself and Sakura are both Chunin and Kakashi is an Elite Jonin.

"That is also in consideration. For the moment your team is on rotation, whoever can be spared will join you."

"From what I understand you are close enough to Aburame Shino correct?" Seeing Naruto nod she continued, "He has been temporarily assigned to your squad, as soon as Kakashi is recovered you have a mission."

Tsunade tossed a file to the pair. Naruto plucked the spinning document out of the air and gave a quick perusal.

"We are being assigned to the Fire Temple…."Naruto deadpanned, the mood chilling several degrees.

Tsunade met his stare unflinchingly.

"You are too hot at the moment. The latest action in Lighting is a tipping point, already their seekers are out in force and we are doing everything to counter them. We need you to disappear for a short time."

Naruto bit back an angry snarl.

"Giving the information I managed to retrieve I assumed-"before he could finish Tsunade pounced.

"Assumed what Chunin Uzumaki?" Tsunade had stood so suddenly, stunning Naruto into silence and the others in the room in their tracks. "The information is being reviewed as we speak and then a plan of action we will be authorised. Whether or not you will have a part in it is left at the discretion of the overall commander."

The overall commander was left unsaid, but everyone got the message. Naruto dipped his head, suitably chastised but no less irritated.

Tsunade sighed and cleared the room, baring Naruto. With them alone she crossed the distance between them and place her hands on his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"You've only just come back Naruto. And with a list of problems, despite the information you managed to retrieve. You need to step back, just for a while. At least let the chatter die down for a bit, Jiraiya will send updates and if anything changes…then we'll revisit this."

Naruto shook his head.

"Already our intel is days old. Give a few more and it might as well be useless. I have spent a year and a half chasing mists, following a trail I was forced into. We almost have him Tsu-Hime, just let me finish what I started."

Tsunade's gaze narrowed into a glare and she gripped his shoulders tight.

"Naruto you need to slow down. Forget this vendetta with Sasuke." Seeing the look in his eyes she continued, "How you thought we wouldn't see through your words is beyond me. Even the Elders figured it out. All this chasing Orochimaru and raiding his bases, you are after everything to do with your former teammate. Just like Jiraiya did with Orochimaru."

Naruto's mouth closed with a click at the statement. Jiraiya had told him his story regarding Orochimaru, how he lost much of himself and years in the pursuit. Naruto had paid rapt attention to the Sannin, ever eager to learn more.

Personally though, he knew there were many difference between his situation and that of Jiraiya.

For one, he really didn't care if the Uchiha lived or died. In fact if and when he came across the traitor, he would be offered the barest minimum to surrender. After that, all bets were off.

The second-

"You didn't go through the whole file did you?" At the confused look Naruto's chakra fluttered, his hair lengthened and reached over the table and pulled the familiar file. He quickly turned the pages and held it up for Tsunade to read.

Naruto opened his mouth and spoke, as she listened and read her eyes widened and realisation dawned.

"This is accurate?"

Naruto nodded at her query. She turned towards her desk and placed her fists on its surface.

"Genma!" The ninja blurred into focus, "Get me Shizune." At that he was gone. Tsunade turned back to Naruto.

"Shizune will speed up his recovery. I want you and Sakura back here tomorrow at dawn. Be prepared."

Naruto nodded resolutely, with a flutter of chakra he was gone.

Tsunade looked at the file and shook her head. There was so much work that needed to be done.

* * *

"Naruto!"

At the call the blonde Jinchuriki looked at the speaker, a smile on his features.

"Temari, as always it is a pleasure to see you." A sly glance fleeted across his features, his stance shifted and he suddenly seemed more approachable, likable.

As he crossed the distance he could feel the amusement rolling off the Suna Nin, and a sharp spike of anger. Behind the anger lurked a furiously working intellect, it knew Naruto's game but that didn't stop the reactions, rather it served to further feed them.

"Ever the desert rose" Naruto raised her hand and gave it a light kiss, barely able to hold back his manic glee at the fury boiling in her escort. Temari, although amused, sent him a warning look to limit his games. Naruto cocked his head to the side, a subtle acquiescence to her request.

"Troublesome as ever, Naruto" came the typical greeting from Shikamaru, though now he had to look up to the blonde, further souring his mood.

"Shika, as lazy as ever I can see. Yours is an eternal existence my friend, dropping dead would be too much of a hassle for you."

Shikamaru snorted and grumbled slightly, only slowing as Temari sighed and jabbed at him.

"We were just joining the others for drinks. The invite is open." Temari stated once Shikamaru had stopped. Naruto gave a light shrug and fell into step.

"Who else is in town?" Naruto queried. "And what have I missed."

"Everyone, they are waiting at the bar." Shikamaru replied. He slipped his hands into his pockets and carried on. "We are all caught up with you now, everyone is Chunin. Neji however is the only one with Jonin rank."

"You would be too, if you stopped being lazy for five minutes." Temari butted in. Shikamaru gave a small sigh and looked heavenward, as if pleading to the Kami.

Naruto smiled at the dynamic. Next time he spoke to Gaara, he would definitely be mentioning this. The Suna Jinchuriki had developed a protective streak over Temari, much to her pleasure and embarrassment. Still, once Shika mustered his spine he would be a decent match for her.

Provided he didn't get lost in the Suna desert. Sand storms were tricky things.

"How is Gaara taking to the office? The work of a Kage is never done from what I hear…" Naruto addressed Temari as the made steady progress to the bar.

Temari smiled as she thought about her brother. Gaara's road to redemption had not been easy, and the choice to become the Kazekage had made things almost impossible. And yet, despite all odds, they had made, it.

Gaara had made it, and his people loved him.

"He isn't complaining. I think the role of Kage suits him well. He has restructured our dealings with the Wind Daimyo and our allegiance to Konoha is tighter than ever."

Naruto remained silent for a while.

"I'm glad for him. Really glad that he achieved his dream."

Both Shikamaru and Temari glanced at their companion. They knew Naruto was genuine with his praise. They also knew however that he was slightly bitter, or at least jealous of how much progress his fellow Jinchuriki had made.

Thankfully they kept silent, much to Naruto's appreciation.

As they got to their location Naruto had cheered up some. He was just about to cross the threshold when he gave a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair and gave a seemingly negligent flick. Dusting himself down, he joined the others, a wide smile on his face.

* * *

Some distance away from the bar a figure slowly materialised from the shadows, carefully keeping his presence to a minimum. Slowly the figure turned to its left, glancing at the long thin darts, made from hair. If he hadn't moved those would have just clipped him by the ear, he was sure of it.

They had been a message. A message and a warning. He had to retreat for now, and report to Lord Danzo.

* * *

 _Sunagakure_

The great desert surrounding the Village hidden in Sand served as a natural defence for them, ensuring that incoming forces could not easily hide and could easily be routed.

However, no defence was infallible.

"I didn't think your former home would be so easy to infiltrate, Sasori no Dana" An Akatsuki agent called out the puppet master, kicking one of the fallen bodies in curiosity.

Sasori remained silent, content to look over the area, surprised by the sense of nostalgia flowing through him. Another unexpected reaction, and not really an unwelcome one either.

"You know what to do Deidara, stop wasting time."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm heading out now. You know, I kinda a feel sorry for the Suna Jinchuriki" Deidara spoke with relish as he slowly rose into the sky on his clay bird. A dark grin spread across his features.

"He's in for a world of hurt."

Sasori watched as his companion flew off, ready to begin their operation. Once Deidara was out of range he pulled out a small scroll.

"Indulgences hmm" Sasori couldn't help the smile on his face. First nostalgia, and now giddiness. Either way he couldn't bring himself to care. He raised his second hand, revealing a clockwork bird. Moments later the scroll was secured in the bird. With a short burst of chakra the bird came to life.

"How can you call it an indulgence when I haven't even begun to indulge...?" His tone was full of whimsy as the bird flew away.

* * *

Kankuro watched in horror as Gaara struggled to keep his village alive. Their Kage, his brother, was the only thing standing between the village, and a giant dome of sand, what effectively would have been a sand tomb.

"C'mon Gaara" Kankuro murmured, all around the villagers and Shinobi were cheering him on. Lending strength to their tired Kage. His gaze narrowed and he snarled in rage as the last bit of the sand dome fell just outside the village, and the Akatsuki Nin snatched his falling brother out of the air.

"Keep the village on lock-down. Secure the villagers and make regular sweeps." Kankuro roared out to the gathering Ninjas. He reached into his clothes and pulled out a small vial, filled with sand. The sand vial juddered around and slowly rose into the air, straining towards Gaara.

With a lock determined Kankuro leaped off the building unto the village floor. As he sped through he pulled out a puppet scroll.

"Hang tight Gaara. Big brother is coming…"

With a burst of chakra he unsealed the content. Suddenly his perspective shifted, and he went from running at breakneck speed to sitting, the world blurring by without a change of pace. His chakra took a slight dip but it was of no consequence to him, the rhythmic clattering of many legs matched the fluttering in his heart.

He only just got Gaara, the brother he always wanted. He would be dammed of he lost him now.

* * *

"You took too long to subdue the Ichibi, Deidara." Sasori commented as they slowly crossed the desert. As he spoke he swept a calculating gaze over his companion, taking especial note of the damage Gaara had done to the mad bomber.

"And you managed to lose a hand in the process…" Sasori didn't even hide his amusement.

Deidara snarled a bit, reaching for where his left hand should have been.

"Doesn't matter, we have the Jinchuriki here."

Sasori smiled at the anger display. Seconds later, both he and Deidara were in motion, moving in tandem at a perceived threat.

Deidara hovered in the air, looking around for the threat. Sasori however remained on the ground. His puppets tail writhed in the air, before suddenly spearing into the sand, burrowing deep. His eyes widened in surprise as it came to a sudden stop

"Unexpected"

The ground rumbled and he quickly jumped backwards, barely missing a set of claws. He landed, only to quickly bring up his tail to deflect another tail, both appendages scraping and grinding against each other.

"Interesting. A design I am unfamiliar with. Not what I expected from a member of the Suna Puppet Brigade."

Slowly the puppet rose from the desert sand revealing itself in its entirety. A giant desert scorpion.

"I am genuinely impressed at the creativity." Sasori called out as he inspected the creation.

Kankuro narrowed his gaze at the figure that stopped his strike. Something about it rang out to him; the tail waving around, the movements, they were things he was very familiar with.

None of that mattered.

"Release my brother. Right now!"

Deidara scoffed, his right hand held several clay sculptures. Kankuro was familiar with the Akatsuki's fighting style, having watched the display with Gaara and was more than ready.

Deidara let loose the sculptures and smiled as they sped for the Suna Nin. He brought his right hand into a seal, ready to detonate-

Only to blink in shock as they were speared out of the air by a myriad of senbon. A shadow swept passed, forcing Deidara to look up. Just above was a falcon, one that was bigger than average. The falcon swooped around and made another dive run. Several flaps opened and more senbon fired out, followed by mini kunais and shurikens.

Deidara laughed with relish as he dodged the metal rain. Kankuro kept his attention carefully split, monitoring the other Akatsuki in front of him.

Sasori however, was content to let events play out a little. He was more interested in the new puppets styles, especially considering how little it had changed, even since his own personal contributions.

The legs were an obvious weak point, but the overlapping plates concealed much of the gears and joints, and despite its size it was surprisingly nimble. The claws were powerful, just at a glance Sasori could determine they were designed to crush with immense pressure and force.

Sasori was even more impressed as the fight went on. Kankuro's fingers danced and his chakra pulsed; his scorpion puppet darted around, evading the explosive attacks Deidara favored with his clay, while the desert falcon swooped in the skies above, harassing the clay user. Kankuro hissed as he just avoided another explosive. His fingers flexed sharply; the scorpion puppet spun around, facing the flyer again. One of the claws rose skywards and opened, revealing more concealed weapons. Kunais fired out, tags trailing behind them.

Deidara swooped around the tags, the relish of a fight thrilling him.

"You're not too bad, Sabaku no Kankuro" seeing the surprise in his aggressors face Deidara continued, "I can't imagine anyone else fighting as hard as you. Then again, a brothers love…."

"Then you know I'll never stop" Kankuro declared, his chakra ringing resolute.

"Of that I'm sure. Still how will you fight, when you cannot move?"

Kankuro's eyes widen as the voice came from his back, whispered into his very ear! He made to react but it was too late.

 _Fuinjutsu: Rikujokoro_

Kankuro gasped as his body seized up; six seal tags slammed into him, pinning him into place. His puppets rattled; the falcon dropped out of the sky, crashing into the unforgiving sand, while the scorpion merely slumped over.

Kankuro could feel his anguish and rage rise, but to no avail. He watched as the second figure cocked his head, as if inspecting his puppets.

"I am quite impressed with this work, more than that I approve."

He walked towards the fallen falcon, his words carrying over to Kankuro.

"Suna's puppet arts are stagnating. Very few break away from the standard sets and invest in new, untested and unproven styles. It is one of the reasons I broke away from the village; my puppets were considered the very best the art could conceive, and here I have grown leaps and bounds since then."

Kankuro's felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He could remember every single name listed in the puppet brigade, not many ever made it as missing Nins….and only one was prodigious enough to be part of the all S Rank group Akatsuki.

As if aware of the dawning realisation, Sasori discarded his outer shell, the Hiroku puppet, emerging without fanfare.

"Your puppets are impressive, as is their design" Sasori commented as he picked up the falcon and slowly made his way back to the still bound Kankuro.

"Your performance however…is adequate. Worse than I hoped, but better than I feared."

Kankuro couldn't help but glare at the perceived insult to his skills.

"I'll just get better. Better than you…Akasuna no Sasori."

Sasori stopped right in front of Kankuro, observing the Suna Nin. Looking into the brown orbs he saw fear, and anguish.

But he also saw determination as well. And that was enough.

Kankuro blinked at the smile that grew on the missing mins face.

"Yes, I believe you will try."

Kankuro blinked again, pain flared in his midsection. The seal tags holding him dissipated; he was unable to hold himself up and fell atop his scorpion puppet.

"If you survive this, then you have earned the right to fight. This is your test, and the test of Sunagakure as well. If they are really worthy of your devotion, you will live. If not you will die."

"Regardless, know that you have caught my attention, if not my admiration. Live or die well young puppeteer."

Kankuro gritted his teeth as Sasori placed the falcon beside him. Hidden from view, Kankuro felt the former Suna Nin place a piece of cloth in his hand.

"When he comes, give this to him. Tell him it is time."

* * *

 _ **A.N. Hey again, another quick note - answers and thank yous from the preview chapter reviews.**_

 _ **Scarease, s.k.f.f.f, kiddi, dead for life, Waldo Santiago, jojo, RameKnight - Hey guys, thanks so much for the support, glad you enjoyed it. also, welcome back RamenKnight.**_

 _ **Foremeraxe - Hey and thank you for the support & review. their are 6'0 15yr olds running around, that i know of at least. but you also have a point 6'3" is a bit much. i still want him to be taller than his peers, the height to match his physical and chakra presence. Thanks for the rethink.**_

 _ **Seta88 - as always thanks for the support. in terms of long battles i do agree with you. However watching the series and anime in general you notice at least two types of battles - showcase battles, and legit fights. despite the seriousness, this was as much a showcase battle, designed to unveil and be a bit theatrical. also, it pays Kakashi to stretch the fight out so he has time to recover as much as possible before re-engaging, which is why i jumped from scene to scene. next time i might emphasis the time gaps between engagements.**_

 _ **Also the Shirasaya - you are again right, however their is no formal name, as you probably also discovered, for a Katana that has been taken of its mounting - the guard removed and the sheath replaced for storage. somewhere along the line, when guard-less, unadorned Katanas became a staple for combat, they were just as simply refered to as Shirasayas, showing the separation from Katanas. bit of history there...from a minor sword enthusiast.**_

 _ **queen-at-d-throne - Thank you both for the support, glad to have you join the family. Hope to see more comments from you**_

 _ **Thank you all again and Happy New Year.**_


	7. Nothing is Ever Simple

_**A.N. - Hey and welcome to another chapter**_

 _ **I'm really sorry this is a week late, and even more sorry that it might be a trend for the next few weeks, or probably April. See i am currently sorting out a mortgage for my very own place. it has been hectic and things are moving forward now so i may not be able to update until things are clearer.**_

 _ **i will finish the story, of that have no fear, i just might take a bit longer between chapters.**_

 ** _Thanks for your support and understanding, on with the Chapter_**

* * *

 _Hidden Sound Base – Deep in Fire Country._

 _A heart pounded, unwilling to accept the outcome. The mouth gaped wordlessly, spilling precious life essence from its depth. Arms and legs were heavy, as if caught in a struggle, unable to fight, yet unable to flee._

 _The mind however had already been aware. It had known the end, had seen its fate. It had been the hearts treachery that blinded the body; but now, now it would help the body accept and slowly succumb to the last rest._

Sasuke merely looked on, almost in contempt as the body slid gracelessly of his blade. He had barely exerted himself, not once had he even utilised his Sharingan, the fight had not required it.

"Next"

 _This was what the might of the Uchiha Clan had been reduced to. A great and noble Clan with long history, fallen to the dark of history, the forgotten tales, with only a traitor still drawing breath…._

 _-and his executioner, trimming Orochimaru's pen._

"Next"

The ninja's around made valiant attempts to show no fear, but in the face of the Uchiha's black mood they were all wishing to be away from his presence. Even the act of fighting and dealing with Orochimaru's rejects did nothing to help; rather it seemed to feed the black mood, such that even the victims in the floor below were being driven to madness by the strain of his presence.

Even the most blind to chakra perception could tell the absolute wrongness that was Uchiha Sasuke and his 'Guardians could feel the cumulative dread grow ever more as the situation seemed to get worse.

They were running out of bodies to give the young killer, and there was nothing stopping him from turning on them.

"Next" _Damn_

"Forgive me, Uchiha-Dono." A messenger appeared in the room, head bowed in subservience.

"We have received word from Orochimaru-Sama. He calls you back to his side; Kabuto-Dono is on his way to escort you to him."

Sasuke turned slightly, his eyes flashed and the temperature dipped.

"I have no need of him. I will make my way back to Orochimaru."

The Messenger Nin bowed even further as he spoke hastily.

"Forgive me Uchiha-Dono, but Orochimaru-Sama had relocated bases again. As of this moment only Kabuto is aware of the next location, that is why he is coming. Since the attacks the outlying facilities have kept silent as per Orochimaru-Sama's wishes."

Sasuke paused, slowly going over the message; slowly the tension began draining from the atmosphere, allowing all present to relax.

"I want to be gone as soon as Kabuto arrives" Sasuke didn't wait for the reply as he strode out of the room.

* * *

The simple act of walking allowed much of his initial irritation to bleed from him and think more of his situation.

Since leaving Konoha there could be no doubt that he had gotten much stronger, far more so than if he had stayed with the village. Orochimaru had been a hard taskmaster, a ruthless scientist and even more ruthless ninja. He had pushed Sasuke to the very limits of his sanity and skill, and when he faltered had engineered the means so that he could keep on pushing.

Sasuke enjoyed the fruits of those many labours; the power he commanded was euphoric.

 _But is it enough?_

That had been the lingering question at the back of the Uchiha's mind. Out there in the world his quarry still breathed free air, while the Uchiha Clan lay in tatters.

Sasuke hissed as his head throbbed. His nose itched; he ran a hand over it and pulled back, noting how ichor stained it. He could feel it still running down his nose, followed swiftly by his left eye.

He hissed again, fighting of the pain with rage, unrelenting fury until they were both one and the same.

"Uchiha-Don-"

The hesitant voice had barely finished when he struck!

A tang filled the air and his pain slowed, the fury ebbed. He took several deep breaths, regaining control over himself and blinked away the last vestiges of the ache. His brought his right hand to his face and started briefly; lightning chakra ran rampant across his digits and along his forearm. The current was so wild it sent his arm into spams. Also on his arm was blood spatter, closer inspection revealed blood along the sleeve of his top as well as the right side.

Sasuke slowly turned his head, looking behind him, and found the source as he suspected.

A body lay mangled by the left wall. A burnt and electrocuted mess, with the left side almost caved in, while the right shoulder and neck looked mauled.

At least, that could be visibly determined.

"This is getting tiresome." Sasuke sighed to himself as he slowly rubbed his face. His mind played the instant over and over;

 _Before the words were through Sasuke had already crossed the distance. His body was wreathed in chakra and his right hand cackled in fire. In one swift motion his had the unknown figures neck in a crushing grip and smashed the body into the left wall. His chakra burnt the figure; there wasn't even enough time for it to scream. Lighting chakra surged, further wreaking havoc across the body before Sasuke snarled in disgust and hurled it along the wall down the corridor._

Peeking through the gaps of his hand he noted the drag marks across the wall, leading from just where he stood to where the body ended up, a several feet behind him. A part of him was impressed at the force he had managed to exert in the sudden instance, the other was chastising him for his loss of control.

That had him worried. His episodes had been growing with more and more frequency as of late. Always the pain precluded the rage, and unless he managed to calm himself, nothing was safe in his presence.

Orochimaru and Kabuto had done extensive testing on his, checked his bloodwork and unravelled his genes to see what triggered the instances, and to their constant bafflement and irritation they could never find a single thing.

Sasuke snorted at their feeble attempts. He knew what it was, a boon and a curse. The blessing and the malediction.

It was the will of his clan, made manifest in him. Their cries and their curse upon him. He had sworn an oath, sold his life to end Uchiha Itachi, and his Clan had born witness and accepted. His fate was now chained to theirs. There was now only one path for him:

Find and kill Uchiha Itachi, or forever be tormented and driven to madness by the judgement of his Clan.

"It is ironic don't you think" Sasuke spoke softly, to the mangled body as he leaned against the blood stained wall, "I, who so eagerly drank from this cup, now wish I could part from it. I hear my Clan's cries every day and every night. They haunt my dreams, urging me to take the fight to the 'Traitor' and reclaim what he has taken."

Sasuke sighed and tilted his head back. His eyes closed and he slumped. A slow chuckle echoed around the empty hall.

"This is not about vengeance. This is not about justice. This is about freedom. Freedom from pride, freedom from duty, from oaths made long ago."

"My Clan is bound by traitor's blood, and only by traitor's blood can it be freed. I am bound by my Clan, and only by my Clan can I be freed. So you see, I must kill the traitor, free him from the mortal coil of life, only then can we be truly free."

"Except you" Sasuke titled his head to the body, a slight look of apology, overshadowed by the crazed look in his eyes. "I'm afraid you were freed a little earlier than you would have liked. Still, you made them stop for a time."

He sighed and sniffed slightly, the tangy scent of blood a now familiar presence after majority of these episodes.

 _Still, if only they would stop reminding him of bamboo…._

* * *

The next didn't do much to improve the mood of the Sound base. The body had been found and quietly disposed of; it had been done enough times now that it was second nature to the Oto Nins.

Sasuke meanwhile was either unaware or simply didn't care about the feelings of the surrounding Nin. He had lingered far too long by the snake's side and was eager to begin his hunt for his treacherous brother. Kabuto had better hurry; Sasuke could feel the last dregs of his patience withering away.

 _Speak of the Devil…_

No sooner had he blinked Kabuto was in the room. Sasuke made to speak but took note of the slightly tense stance the spy was sporting, his customary smirk replaced with a more serious tone.

"Sasuke-Kun." Kabuto gave a slight nod to the Uchiha, before turning around to bark orders.

"All the research data and sensitive material need to be stored in these scrolls." Kabuto tossed the items around the room. "Everything else will be purged. You have fifteen minutes, get started."

At that the room was abuzz with activity. Researchers and assistants scurried around, pulling out notes and files, calling across rooms, the din getting louder as the seconds crawled by.

Kabuto stepped through the noise to Sasuke's side.

"We are abandoning this base." He stated without preamble.

Sasuke turned to him unimpressed.

"And I care because? Let Orochimaru keep his trinkets and papers. Still I am glad for once we are moving quickly, I grow tired of waiting."

"Those trinkets and papers are part of the reason you have gain power, do not forget that in your haste." Kabuto intoned softly, the familiar mocking in his voice, enough to sour Sasuke's mood further

"Once we have everything of import, we can leave." Kabuto continued, not allowing Sasuke to retort.

Sasuke's mouth clicked shut and his head tilted curiously. Kabuto was looking tense. An air of anticipation was around him.

His confusion was cleared by Kabuto's next words.

"Konoha is aware of your current location. We received an unexpected gift, detailing when they will arrive and who."

"Team Seven is coming for you. And despite what some may think, I doubt Naruto-Kun intends to bring you in alive…"

 _It Never Rains…._

Tsunade could feel her headache growing its very own headache. If she concentrated she could almost sense the sympathies it had for her as they were dealt another massive spike in pressure.

As a Medic, she knew this wasn't very good for her continued health. As the Hokage, it was a small sacrifice for the great tree that was Konoha.

As a person she just wanted to punch something soft yet hard. Something that would resist a little, before absolutely giving way to her prodigious strength.

Her attendants left a five foot radius around her.

"It never ends" she muttered as she tried vainly to stem the thumping in her skull.

"When did this happen?"

One of the attendants stirred at the query.

"The Emergency Action Message (EAM) came in early this morning Hokage-Sama. From what we can determine it was sent immediately Suna came out of lock-down."

"So, we can safely say that the Kazekage was taken around midnight. Suna protocols are similar enough to ours. They however allow for an eight hour cycle to send secure messages if they deem necessary. I would say this qualifies." Tsunade commented as she looked at the notes.

"What is their current status?"

"As of right now they are still on heightened security. We should be receiving another message anyt-"Suddenly the doors burst open. The intruder was immediately surrounded by several ANBU however none had drawn any weapons.

At her gaze the lead ANBU let the intruder through. Shaking off the shock she hastily stepped forwards.

"Forgive the interruption Hokage-Sama, but we have just received another EAM from Suna. It was marked 'eyes only' with the highest level prefixes."

Tsunade tore the paper out of the ninjas hand and gave it a quick once over.

 _Kuso!_

"Everyone out now! Someone get me Jonin Commander Shikaku and the current head of ANBU"

Within seconds the room was clear. Tsunade continued to curse as the note continued to crumple in her grip.

Less than two minutes later the ANBU Commander was with her, followed closely by Shikaku. Without a word she handed the encrypted note to the two men as she took her place in her seat.

Shikaku's gaze was hard as he worked through the contents.

"Is there any way to verify this?" Shikaku finally queried as he looked up.

Tsunade shrugged but her gaze remained firm.

"Jiraiya is still investigating; but we can work on the basis it is accurate."

The silence did not bode well for the room.

"How many do they have right now?" Shikaku queried again.

"…three"

Shikaku swore out loud and even the ANBU Commander was tense. Tsunade nodded in agreement before she continued.

"And now with the Kazekage that would make four. Four Bijuu obtained, while the world is unaware of the dangers."

"We need to get to Suna." Shikaku spoke out, every inch the Jonin Commander he was. "We need to assemble a team and reinforce our allies. Then pick up whatever trail may be left and retrieve the Kazekage. If nothing else we can narrow down where this group might be hiding."

"My scouts will be sent further afield Hokage-Sama." The ANBU Commander spoke up for the first time since the meeting started. "We will widen our search, with any luck we will find out more about the situation."

Tsunade nodded.

"We need to recall Uzumaki back to the village." Shikaku began, this time delicately. "Given what we know it might not be the best for him to be out of the village right now…."

Tsunade understood his views, even sharing some of them. However it was an idea she meant to quash, thoroughly.

"Keeping him locked up will be a waste of talent; put aside the fact that he is our Jinchuriki, his combat skill and tactical abilities, his training under Jiraiya and his existing relationship with Suna and the Kazekage are too important to simply hold back. No, we need to send word out to redirect Team Seven."

Shikaku simply nodded at the statement. He definitely agreed with her; however it was his role as Commander and Adviser to put alternatives through, even the ones that were not often agreeable.

"Will we be able to reach Hatake's Squad in time? They would be miles from the village by now, given how driven Uzumaki-San is…" The ANBU Commander queried.

Tsunade nodded and pulled out a scroll.

"Naruto gave me this, in case of an emergency. It is one time use only." Seeing the questioning looks she elaborated. "It is supposed to be a secure means of communication, cannot be intercepted or tracked by any known surveillance jutsu."

Both Nins looked on with renewed curiosity at the scroll. They were aware of Naruto's foray into the realms of sealing. However something to ensure secure transmission over great distances, with real time updates. That was worth its weight in gold; many attempts had been made with various means, none truly breaking through.

Tsunade used her blood to break the seal; the scroll unravelled revealing a fuinjutsu script. The styling was instantly familiar to the veterans.

 _Summoning?_

Chakra flared and smoke poured out. Immediately the atmosphere changed. While not sensors to any degree, the veterans could tell there was an additional presence in the room.

Two of them in fact.

"To use our scroll without first hearing our verdict. One could argue it is an insult, unworthy of our consideration." A cultured voice rose from the smoke, clearly unimpressed at being summoned.

"One could also argue that we facilitated the need. We offered the scroll on this basis. We even gave the boon. And consider so far he has followed our request and restrictions without complaint. It may speak well of his character." Another cultured tone countered the first. Both were eerily similar in mannerism and speech, it felt like one person arguing with himself.

The smoke cleared and Tsunade and her advisors could get a look at the new arrivals. Tsunade looked incredulous.

"Rabbits. A summons…for rabbits."

* * *

For a while neither side spoke, the newly summoned creatures took time to survey their current surroundings, content to merely observe for the moment. Meanwhile, Tsunade and her entourage could only look on baffled.

For all intents and purposes, they were rabbits. They stood just under four feet in height. Both were sporting pristine white robes over their equally white fur coats. Their ears stood at an angle, with the top end curling backwards slightly, finally on their foreheads was what appeared to by a stylised tattoo marking.

"Oh look brother" The first rabbit spoke, the sneer in his tone dripping with acid "A _mon-keigh,_ in its natural state. It is a wonder they have managed to develop this far."

"Peace brother" The second soothed, however its gaze was somewhat haughty and stern as it focused on Tsunade. "We have our own name for us, which roughly translates to "Lagomorpha" or "Lagomorph" in the common tongue. In future I request you refer to us as such."

The implied authority in the tone irritated the senior ninjas and Tsunade. Her lip curled and she readied a comment when the second _rabbit_ dared to stop her, with an eyebrow raised.

"If you find this difficult to accept, we can always return back to our domain. _You_ requested _us,_ not the other way around. As far as I am truly concerned we fulfilled our oaths to the letter. You summoned, we came."

Tsunade's teeth ground audibly, and much to her irritation the two _rabbits_ seemed to take pleasure in her state.

"I was under the impression the scroll was a means of secure communication." She ground out slowly, pushing her tempers downwards. The first rabbit seemed put out that she was no longer rising to their baiting; she flashed a quick smirk counted a tally in her favour.

The second rabbit was much more focused on her.

"Your impression is correct. However, what is left to determine is why we should bother to do this for you."

Tsunade was ready to lash out, however a throat cleared to her left. She turned and spotted Shikaku; the Jonin Commander gave a slight nod and stepped forwards. As soon as the rabbits locked gaze with the Nara the air shifted. Their stance shifted and their gaze was more forceful and calculating.

It was an exact mirror of Shikaku's. The only difference was that he was smirking.

"As I understand, you have an oath with Chunin Uzumaki, which involves the capacity to communicate over great distances in real time with maximum security." Shikaku probed lightly, but with the grace of a shark scenting blood.

"That is one small capacity in the nature of the scroll, _mon-keigh_ " The first rabbit drawled, slowly and with caution.

"But it is in this capacity you were summoned correct?" Shikaku queried pointedly. Silence reigned but there was a grudging air of accent from them.

"It matters little to us, your oath or contract with Naruto-Kun. However if we are to speak of honour, shall we now call yours into question. Your oath has been invoked, with clear guides as to its capacity. If you are however incapable or unwilling…" Shikaku trailed off, a guileless smile on his face.

Neither rabbit spoke for a while, the features fleeted from shock to fury, to grudging respect.

"I don't believe my brother and I got your name-"The second rabbit paused, as if unsure how to address Shikaku, before shrugging lightly and settle for neutrality- "human."

Shikaku shrugged in a similar manner

"The same could be said of you, lagomorph"

A smile grew on the second rabbits face and he turned to his pensive brother. Something passed between the two of them, they nodded in sync and turned back towards Shikaku.

"I am called Zhang Liao" The second rabbit introduced, sculpting a polite bow. His brother mimicked his stance.

"And I am called Zhang Fei."

Shikaku gave a quick glance to Tsunade. Seeing the nod to go ahead he turned back to the rabbits.

"I am Nara Shikaku, Jonin Commander. This is the leader of our village, the Hokage." Both rabbits raised eyebrows as the name was deliberately left out of the introduction, but made no comments.

"We need to establish a secure line of communication with Naruto right now." Tsunade picked up after the introduction, her features having calmed.

"I'm sure you are aware of his status," Seeing the confirming nod she continued "it involves that. We have received word from one of our allies that a similar Jinchuriki has been taken, one that Naruto is close to."

"Sabaku no Gaara" Zhang Liao called out suddenly going stiff. Beside him his brother snapped to focus.

The room occupants blinked at the change and familiarity. Giving a hesitant nod Tsunade could barely utter a word as chakra pulsed around both rabbits. Their ears extended to their full lengths, their forelimbs coming together in seal.

"Zhang Fei-"Zhang Liao called out to his brother.

"Ah, I have him." His eyes snapped open as he replied. He turned to his brother and continued "He has covered some distance but I should join with him before long."

Zhang Liao nodded.

"Perhaps it is for the best; I will remain here and await word."

Zhang Fei nodded, without ceremony he took one step and simply faded into nothing.

Tsunade blinked at the action and turned a questioning gaze to the rabbit left behind.

Zhang Liao settled himself on his hind legs, his face returning back to neutral.

"We are aware of the one called Sabaku no Gaara. Naruto often spoke highly of him, a rival and a comrade. If he is as encumbered as you say, then I see no reason not to honour the agreement."

Before Tsunade could even process the statement the rabbit stiffened.

"My brother has reached him and made contact." Surprise rippled across the room.

"That is fast, I had thought they were far into Fire Country to reach so quickly." Shikaku murmured. Zhang Liao's ear twitched as it picked up the words.

"They are, quite a distance at that." He replied, a smug smile filling his face.

"Despite what you know, there are more summons in the world than you could truly imagine. Most are content to remain in their borders, not interacting with the 'outside world'. And most of us are not ignorant to the state of your borders."

"We heard much of the one you called _Konoha no Kiiroi Senko_ " Zhang Liao's tone displayed a measure of respect yet retained a mocking lilt. "It amused us as we realised how very few understood, or even knew the truth of the ability, its origins."

The rabbit threw a pointed gaze at Tsunade, who looked like she had swallowed a lemon. The next comment threw all three Konoha Nins off kilter.

"Not to mention the fact that we have not required to such overt setups to utilise that skill in a very long time."

* * *

Kakashi kept a wary eye on his team.

Both his teammates had graduated from the rookie years. They were consummate ninjas now, experienced, professional, and capable.

Experience told Kakashi that they were gearing up for a massive explosion. This fight was going from duty…to personal.

Sakura was good but she couldn't really hide her anticipation from his trained senses. And while not really obvious, she made subconscious moves and reactions, over her midsection, right were the medics were forced to operate around a kunai, lodged in place by her former teammate.

Naruto however was easier and harder to read; for all intents and purposes Naruto was like a mannequin, like one of his many puppets.

But with Naruto this was his greatest tell; the greatest sign of his mental state.

Much like a puppet given a set of commands, Naruto's mind had been reduced to one single focus; one command.

Retribution.

So far neither of them had acted out, following his commands appropriately. That said he wasn't sure he was ready to have at it with whatever they found in the base while they were so wound up. They needed to something to pull them out of their state-

No sooner had his thoughts filtered; a barrier sprung a few feet in front of them. The team reacted immediately, halting in their tracks and moving to defend. Sakura's profile grew sporadic as earth circled her limbs. Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, taking in the barrier, trying to figure how they triggered it, what possible effects it had and how to disable it.

Naruto however pulsed his chakra, _strongly._ He brought his left hand up, slowly as if weighed down by an invisible force. Chakra swirled around the limb, growing more turbulent to the senses, Kakashi with his Sharingan to make out the spinning and pulling of the chakra. As he peered closer he could almost make out shapes; the chakra slowly shifting, forming an elaborate pattern, a kanji on the spiritual composition, before trying to pull its way into the physical world.

Naruto grunted and thrust his hand at the barrier. Kakashi watched, fascinated, as the chakra collided with the barrier. Immediately it flashed to his Sharingan, whatever Naruto had done overlaid over the barrier, trying to rip it apart.

The barrier however held firm.

"It seems you have improved somewhat in your skills, Uzumaki." A voice called out, Kakashi couldn't place the dialect. He noted however that Naruto immediately relaxed at the voice, and more life seemed to come into his features.

Kakashi was thankful for the reprieve and slowly stood down, followed by Sakura.

A figure slowly stepped into focus in front of them. One that left both Kakashi and Sakura blinking at the sight.

"Zhang Fei" Naruto called with a polite bow. "I was not expecting you."

The rabbit merely sniffed at the address, busy observing his barrier with a critical eye.

"I bring word from your Hokage, a rather feisty woman of an old bloodline." Naruto's gaze narrowed as he pondered the implications. Kakashi looked on slightly confused and turned to Naruto for an explanation.

"I left Tsunade-Sama with a means to reach me in case of an emergency. It is unfortunately a one-time use, for her to use it _now_ , I cannot think why" Naruto explained, still pensive.

"Naruto" Sakura called out slowly, "Why do you have a ra-?" before she could continue Naruto was besides her, stilling her voice.

"They are lagomorphs; they take offence to the other title, and are very particular in the manners of address" Naruto cautioned, just as the rabbit turned towards them with a sharp glare. Before things could degenerate Naruto quickly brought them back to focus.

"Zhang Fei, we are minutes away from our target, can your barrier secure us?"

The rabbit snorted and brought his paws together. Chakra pulsed softly and the air shifted, the nature of the barrier changed somewhat and extending to form a dome around them.

"We will not be disturbed, and I highly doubt they could find us, even with those eyes." Zhang Fei rebuked. Before Naruto could comment the rabbit's eyes pulsed and it went into a trance.

"Connection established Uzumaki Naruto. I am linked to my brother. You may begin."

Naruto turned his head to Kakashi, deferring to the Jonin. Kakashi nodded and slowly stepped closer to the rabbit. The glowing eyes of the rabbit was disconcerting, however Kakashi shook of his worries and prepared himself.

"…So, what is going to happen?"

* * *

Tsunade looked on in fascination as the rabbits breathing slowed and its stance tranquil. The expressive eyes were glowing with chakra and both ears were ramrod straight, unmoving.

"We are connected" Zhang Lao's voice had an echo to it. "You may commence."

Tsunade looked at her advisors in confusion, when her ears perked at a familiar voice."

"…So, what is going to happen?" She glanced sharply at Shikaku and the ANBU Commander, both of them just as surprised. Seeing her hesitate slightly Shikaku stepped forwards while the ANBU Commander moved to cover her.

"Hatake-San?" Shikaku called out carefully.

"Shikaku-San?" Shikaku reared back. "I was under the impression that Tsunade-Sama had urgent news."

Shikaku shook his head in amazement; somehow the two rabbits, no _lagomorphs,_ were using themselves a conduit, a relay to connect them to Team Seven. It was an ingenious ability, and little wonder Naruto was certain of the security.

Tsunade stepped forwards, now sure that everything was safe and addressed Kakashi.

"Hatake, your current mission has been aborted. We need you and Team Seven to redirect to Suna immediately"

Somehow, even in the office they could pick out the gasp of shock from Sakura and the snarl of fury from Naruto.

"Acknowledged Hokage-Sama. However we are minutes away from engaging. Can I ask what has changed?" Kakashi spoke mildly. Tsunade could tell however the Jonin wasn't too happy with the switch either.

Given their situation though….

"Last night Suna was attacked." Tsunade stated bluntly. All sound ceased from Zhang Lao, showing that her listener's interests were peaked. It was time to drop the blow.

"It was a team from Akatsuki. They made it passed the defences and from what we know it is only by sheer will the village is still standing."

…

"Naruto….Gaara has been taken. Kankuro is in critical condition."

* * *

The only thing Naruto could hear was the blood rushing through his head.

 _Gaara had been taken. Gaara, had be taken!_

"Do you understand Naruto? We have independent confirmation that Akatsuki now has three in their possession and Gaara is the fourth. Your team needs to be in Suna with all due haste."

Naruto remained still, unmoving.

"We also have word from Suna; Kankuro engaged one of the Akatsuki members. He managed to obtain information before being critically wounded. It had your name on it, so far no one has been able to decrypt it."

Kakashi turned to his student, before facing the rabbit again.

"From our current location we can make it to Suna by nightfall. However even then we will be unable to commence our search until the day after, at least." Kakashi spoke as he did a mental tally. That kind of travel would wipe him out, but given their situation they could do nothing else.

"Acknowledge Kakashi. I've put together a secondary team. They will rendezvous with Temari's unit and update them on the situation. One of my best Medics is with them, Sakura you will both see to Kankuro."

"Understood Hokage-Sama."

Naruto had his head bowed; his chakra had gone deceptively still.

"Naruto" Tsunade's voice called again. "This now takes priority. Do everything possible to find and secure the Kazekage."

Silence reined.

Naruto looked up, deep into the forest. His sole eye blazing with anger and frustration. They had been close, so close. The traitor was just there

He could feel it.

* * *

He could feel it.

His murderer was just there, quietly stalking in the forest, the darkness.

Sasuke could barely hold his anticipation, his glee, which was surprising to him.

Team Seven were coming together. Not a happy reunion he would admit, he wasn't going back with them. But for a time they would be together, and do battle.

Definitely do battle.

"I don't understand, they should be here by now." Sasuke heard Kabuto comment in the background. "Run the patrols again, and get the last files ready to go."

Sasuke ignored much of the Sound bustle as they vacated the area. He was just waiting, anticipating his arrival.

 _You are coming aren't you? You are coming for me…aren't you….?_

 _Aren't you….?_

Sasuke blinked as a sudden change fleeted in the air. He looked on in curiosity…and a hint of disappointment.

"I guess we will not be reunited today after all….Such a shame Naruto." Sasuke called out softly, barely audible.

He turned around and went back into the base.

"Sasuke-Kun" Kabuto turned to him in confusion. He got no reply.

 _Next time, I will not walk away…._

Naruto gritted his teeth as he pulsed more chakra. Immediately the roar of his glider increased, and so did its speed. Behind him he felt the two Kage Bunshin Gliders tethered to his chakra increase their speed and the slight panic from Sakura and quiet exhilaration from Kakashi.

If they were going to abandon their mission to help Suna and save Gaara, then he wasn't going to waste time being slow. Kakashi said they'd be there by nightfall…what a joke.

"I'm extending my sensor range as we fly" Naruto's tone held no nonsense. "Hopefully by now the secondary team have met up with Temari. Soon as we identify the Medic we grab them both, the others can make their way."

"At pace, Suna will be in sight in four hours…less if I can help it."

* * *

 _ **A.N Hey again, i hope you enjoyed this chapter. i didn't spot any questions this time so all i'll say is thanks a lot for the reviews and please keep them coming, along with critiques, that way i can work and improve.**_

 _ **Till the Next**_


	8. I Ask You What Is The Truth Of Art?

_**A.N. Hey all and again i am so sorry its taken so long for this update. i also suspect some of you you are planning on lynching me once you read through. My Mortgage situation is still taking much of my time and the stress of that is also affecting my health negatively. at this point its more of a waiting game so I'll try to get the next chapter out in two weeks.**_

 _ **Thanks again for the support, reviews, likes and faves. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

 _ **Also Naruto et al doesn't belong to me. Onwards to Glory.**_

* * *

Sasori looked apathetic as they placed the Ichibi Jinchuriki in the centre of their formation. So far everything was set for the extraction; The Gedo Mazo had been summoned and the Akatsuki members were projecting from various locations around the Elemental Nations, only he and Deidara were physically present.

"Let us begin"

At those words all hands went into seal and the extraction began. Chakra streamed from the Gedo Mazo, overtaking Gaara. His body rose and hovered, Biju chakra poured out of him and flowed up the chakra paths into the Gedo Mazo.

Sasori felt an appraising look wash over him as the extraction took place. He glanced up and met the eyes of Uchiha Itachi. So far nothing seemed amiss, and a part of him wondered why he was singled out.

 _Mangekyou Sharingan – Tsukuyomi_

Sasori blinked as the world inverted around him.

"You are playing a dangerous game Sasori"

He blinked at the sudden address, slowly he turned to the Uchiha; a sardonic smile grew on his face.

"I have come to find that the most dangerous games are often the most rewarding."

Itachi stepped closer to Sasori.

"You are risking far too much. The villages are beginning to wise up to our threat, the Jinchuriki from this point will be harder to acquire. We cannot afford your games to threaten the careful balance we have managed."

"My my, aren't we the loyal songbird." Sasori couldn't believe the purr in voice, but he could help feel excited. "So much emphasis on my games, shall we turn around and look at yours. If mine trouble our timetable, yours could very well destabilise the organisation. After all, while they may question my actions it would never be a question of loyalty…."

Silence reined at the jab. Itachi remained expressionless, while Sasori remained mocking.

"And are you loyal, Sasori?"

Sasori shrugged at the question.

"Who is truly loyal, in this day and age?"

"I am." The answer was firm, resolute. Sasori cocked his head, his smile growing softer for a split second.

"Yes…I believe you are. I have enjoyed my observations of you Itachi, I doubt I would ever meet another quite like you. When you die, it would be my greatest pleasure to add you to my collection."

* * *

Sasori blinked first and met the gaze of black Uchiha orbs in return. All around the minor grumblings of Hidan echoed with the boisterous tones of Deidara.

"Itachi, Sasori" conversation quietened, "Is there something I should be aware of?"

Sasori barely shrugged as Itachi answered, "Nothing that is of consequence, Pain-Sama."

"….Very well. Then perhaps we should focus on the reinforcements sent to Suna. I believe they belong to Hatake's team; the Kyuubi Jinchuriki will be on the hunt for the Ichibi."

"Then let me and Kakuzu deal with him" Hidan called from the darkness. "He would make a wonderful sacrifice to Lord Jashin."

"Given your current location it would be a wasted effort, not to mention the chakra requirements." Pain dismissed Hidan and glanced around the room. His eyes narrowed on Itachi, darting between him and Sasori.

"Kisame, Itachi. You will both do for the technique. Delay them for as long as possible."

* * *

As per Naruto's declaration the flight to Suna had taken just under four hours. During the flight the overall fury that had been emanating had simmered, but not abated. Behind him and clutching tight to his clothes were Temari and the Medic-Nin sent by Tsunade, which in a surprise move turned out to be Shizune.

It seemed they were fortunate that Shizune had been able to catch up to Temari and informed her of the situation, Naruto hadn't even bothered to stop or slow down once they had visual confirmation of their position; he swapped his glider, mid-flight, for one larger and more capable of supporting the additional numbers. Then he spun the craft upside-down whilst simultaneously launching chakra reinforced chains. Neither Kunoichi had the time to act; the chains wrapped around them securely, seconds later they were pulled off the earth and into the sky. The air around them tingled with chakra and again the perspective shifted; they were no longer dangling several hundred feet above ground, but standing behind Naruto on his glider.

"The rest of the team can catch up. We are taking the express to Suna."

Naruto refused to speak after that and both Kunoichi settled themselves for the ride, wonder and trepidation in equal measure.

Kakashi and Sakura had their gliders each, piloted by Naruto's clones. While the sense of wonder had minimised in both of them, Kakashi's had become more contemplative.

 _Just how skilled was Naruto becoming?_

Power was important, there was no questioning that. But power did not equate with skill. And in terms of the two, skill was much more important. When two forces of even power collide, it is the one with the greater skill that often triumphs. This was first-hand knowledge to the white haired Jonin, he was powerful, one of the best out there, however it was his skill that made him deadly.

Kakashi had run a cursory glance over his student with his Sharingan, and what he saw was amazing as it was terrifying. The sheer amount of chakra _acting and working_ through his student was on a scale he had never believed possible. It was a literal storm of chakra, and yet was held by such iron will and near impeccable control. He marvelled at the strands of chakra that connected all three gliders to the blonde, the vast amount of power running through the strings, or more like cords.

All to top it all off, he could not see a trace of the Biju's energy in the giant ball of compact chakra energy.

Naruto always had power, and he prided himself on control; now though it seemed his student was something else entirely. It confirmed everything he suspected and gleamed during their battle, given enough time and experience Naruto would become a monster, much like the previous Kage and some exceptional names. And all without the Kyuubi's power.

Shizune was of similar thoughts, more because of her proximity to him and her medical training made it easy to feel the depth of strength behind his chakra. Plus she was aware of how ruthless her little brother could be, to his enemies and more importantly to himself; nothing less than perfect was enough for him and he was one of the few who could keep pushing, exceeding past his supposed limits.

All stray thoughts dried up as Sunagakure came into view. Naruto ignored the warning shouts and siege arrows fired at them. With a sweep of his hand all of them parted mid-flight, before violently splitting further with the remains carried off in a sharp wind.

Temari was quick to call out, signalling their status and halting any further attacks. Naruto however kept them moving, stopping only once he was at the hospital.

"Sakura, Shizu-Nee, time to get to work"

* * *

Naruto made a mental note to apologise for his rudeness, just as soon as they had secured Kankuro and gotten any details out of him. In the meantime he remained silent as they were ushered into the ward.

"You!"

Naruto's senses sharpened again as raw anger slammed against his mind. He paid little attention to the shock echoing around the room. Quickly he worked through the trajectory of the rage, the speed it was moving, and the likelihood to intercept. Kakashi it seemed was the target, and too shocked to mount a defence. There was very little time to react, every second content.

Naruto inhaled.

The world _bent…_

* * *

Kakashi's eyebrow disappeared entirely as what felt like static travel around his body. From the surprised look in his attackers gaze he wasn't the only one.

From his attackers positon there was very little he could do to counter. At best he could move to mitigate some of the damage.

Then things got weird…

Kakashi tensed and tried to shift one step back and to the right, cursing the presence of the door frame. At best the falling meteor would strike off centre, at an angle and possibly glance off, much better than dead centre.

Instead, the blow _missed._ Not by much, but it missed

Both he and his attacker were gobsmacked. Even with his manoeuvre there was no way that the blow could miss. It was impossible, at that range, and at that speed to miss.

Kakashi merely looked on in amazement.

Elder Chiyo was one of the last of the old world, a contemporary of the late Sarutobi of Konoha. She was a shinobi of formidable skill, a master of many arts including medicine, toxicology and her most renown, puppetry. In short, all ninjas who got to that age and retain their fame were not to be crossed lightly.

So it was no small feat to say she was shocked, that her attack on the white fang missed.

Not just miss, but if her eyes did not deceive her, then it missed by a _significant_ margin.

A small part of her realised that it was a brash act. Another realised that she would be stopped, or countered. An even smaller relished that she would actually strike, vent against her foe. However in no form did she conceive that she would miss. From her point of view the White Fang may as well have been standing a lot farther away than where she ended up.

Impossible, and utterly absurd.

She had clocked him as soon as he stepped through the door. He hadn't had time to think, not less act. And somehow, even with the door less than a foot away, she managed to miss him by _several feet?_

A sharp grip on her hand brought clarity to mind.

"Forgive my impetuousness Elder Chiyo" She turned to the figure restraining her. Her one-time patient….and for a while student.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Whatever your grievance is with Hatake-Sensei, may I beg a boon that you table it for a more appropriate venue. The Kazekage can ill afford delays at present."

He gave her wrist an almost imperceptible squeeze, Elder Chiyo's eyes narrowed at the implied threat.

* * *

"Ever the little viper you are, Uzumaki-Child" she sniped as she wrenched her arm free from his and moved back to her brother's side.

"As always your words are gracious Elder Chiyo" Naruto returned with a bow.

Chiyo scoffed and turned away. Her brother however chuckled and stepped closer to the blonde.

"Young Naruto-Kun, it does these old eyes good to see you again."

"Elder Ebizo. I am glad to find you well, despite circumstances being what they are."

The elderly ninja nodded sombrely and cast a gaze on the shivering Kankuro. Naruto followed the gaze and shifted his stance slightly. Immediately his teammate relaxed. Both Sakura and Shizune then went over to the bed and began their own diagnosis.

"We need to work fast. So far they have managed to stave off major degradation. With their notes and our findings we can get him to recovery." Shizune intoned as her hand glowed with healing energy. Sakura nodded as she got her tools and salves ready. Meanwhile Shizune glanced around the room.

"All non-Medics clear the room. Leave us to our work."

* * *

Even with Sakura and Shizune working, it took much of the day to stabilise and then heal Kankuro; by the next day he was coherent enough to answer their queries. His news was grim.

"It was Sasori" Kankuro ignored the intakes of breath and sharp hisses, "Akasuna no Sasori. He was working with the one that took Gaara. He cleared a path on the ground, inside or defence screen, that's why we missed the initial attack. Sasori knows how our systems and protocols worked; it would be child's play for someone like him to work around it."

Kakashi nodded slowly while Naruto made to speak.

"The other one is a Nin from Rock; his name is Deidara, at present we only knew for sure that Uchiha Itachi worked with Hoshigaki Kisame of Mist. Most likely Deidara is Sasori's partner in Akatsuki."

Kankuro indicated to his things, his movements jerky and tinged with pain.

"Sasori wanted me to give something to you. He said you would know…" Kankuro grimaced as his chakra came out sluggish. His puppet rattled and one of the compartments opened and a piece of cloth.

Naruto's eye gleamed at the item. He plucked the item from the puppet and opened his senses to the material.

"Naruto" Kakashi began cautiously, his toned coloured with suspicion as he eyed his student and the piece of cloth. "Why does Sasori seem so interested you?"

"I would have thought it obvious Kaka-Sensei" Naruto returned nonchalantly as he continued his analysis. "Sasori is as interested in me as I am interested in him."

"You are a puppeteer" Kankuro broke in weakly, grimacing as he brushed his side. He turned to Kakashi and continued.

"Sasori is obsessed with puppetry. When I fought with Falcon and Scorpion he was eager and pleased. He told me the Suna arts have been too static, unchanging. I couldn't feel anything but contempt as he described them, but he liked my puppets."

Sasori gulped as he steadied his breath.

"He said if I survive I would be of interest to him, he would be eager to see how far I can go. I'm guessing it's the same with you, Naruto" Kankuro turned to Naruto at the last statement, meeting the single eye stare in return.

"Akatsuki may have Gaara and the Ichibi. But with Sasori…" Ebizo glanced around, taking in the two young puppeteers, "- My bones tell me what Akatsuki want and what Sasori wants may not be to the same ends."

"That said he is not against them" Baki interjected, "We can worry about the differences later, right now we need to move on Gaara."

"I have that information right here."

All eyes turned back to Naruto. The piece of cloth was still in his hands, only now it shimmered with chakra. They watched as Naruto ran a finger across an edge, then carefully he pulled out a thread from left to right. He then selected another thread at random and pulled it out, from the top.

Kakashi stepped closer, Sharingan in view, and what he saw fascinated him. Each time Naruto ran his finger across the cloth the chakra would ripple in odd patterns; whenever a thread was pulled out it would shift completely.

At this point Naruto was now reweaving the threads back into the cloth, feeling out the subtle shifts as each one locked into place. With the last thread in a seal flashed bright then slowly faded out.

Naruto then held the cloth out for everyone to see. Woven into it was a rough map and coordinates.

"It doesn't matter right now what Akatsuki wants. Sasori has made his intent clear; he wants to fight me, and he hates waiting. And I'd rather not disappoint."

* * *

 _Akatsuki Temporary Base_

The air was full of chakra as the Gedo Statue continued it task. Gaara lay suspended in the air as the Ichibi was pulled out of him, to the audience of the nine Akatsuki members.

"Konoha have left Suna, Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto. They also have Elder Chiyo with them." Voice called out from the shadows.

Pain turned to the speaker.

"Zetsu" The named figure came into relief, a two-toned in a giant Venus flytrap body. "The ceremony is half complete. It should take them some time to find us, by then it would be too late."

Zetsu shook his head.

"Their movements suggest otherwise. They have made neither deviations nor hesitations. Given their current speed, they will find this place before the ceremony is over."

…..

"Kisame, it seems you get your fight after all." Kisame smiled in relish. Pain turned to Itachi as well.

"I need at least a third of your chakra for this; Sasori has already done his part. You need to buy time for the Statue to complete the sealing."

"I must admit, I am looking forward to going up against Hatake-San and the Kyuubi Jinchuriki." Kisame remarked, his shark teeth gleaming in the dark. Pain however paid him no mind.

"There is no time to waste. Get moving."

Sasori kept his eyes closed as both Itachi's and Kisame's profiles dimmed in preparation for their battle with Team Seven. Even at a third of their strength it was very possible that they could delay Team Seven long enough to finish the ceremony. It was now a question of which scenario did he prefer.

 _Naruto arrives, just in time to save Gaara, despite the loss of much of his Biju. He is filled with purpose and determination, defend is ally while crossing blades with his enemies. Noble. Poetic._

 _Naruto is too late. Gaara's corpse cools on the cave floor. There is rage but it has no mastery over him. Retribution is his blade; he would carve a bloody tally as the price for his friend's life. No quarter will be asked or given._

A smile grew unbidden on Sasori's face. His right fingers drummed over his exposed left arm, brushing idly across grooves etched on the surface.

"Such choices, but which one….?"

* * *

Finally making it through the desert, Team Seven and Elder Chiyo wasted little time taking to the trees. They were still several miles away from Gaara's location, however if they wanted to be able to fight they couldn't afford to push excessively. Still, knowing their destination made things easier for them; they wouldn't have to spend too much time searching around.

Naruto kept his awareness open as they chewed up the distance. He led the pace, with Kakashi on his left and Sakura to his right. Elder Chiyo was in the centre of their formation, moving just as easily as they were. Despite her age she was formidable, Naruto could tell from her chakra presence.

His senses rang sharply and he snapped into focus. He stopped suddenly, the others not far behind at his sudden action.

In a flash he drew his blade and swung left, just in time to intercept an incoming blow. Meanwhile Kakashi drew several shuriken and tossed them forwards. He blitzed into high speed, trying to catch his aggressor of guard. His shurikens were deflected with casual ease, before his opponent spun around to block his attack.

"An attack at this level is not enough to disturb me Hatake-San" the calm tone of Uchiha Itachi rang out.

Meanwhile Naruto leaned backwards as a large blade swung for his head. He let the displaced air wash over him, from his side Sakura moved into position and launched a straight blow

 _Doton: Earth Shards_

Sharpened pieces of rock headed straight of the blue Nin, Hoshigaki Kisame. Kisame smile as he leaned sideways, avoiding the projectiles. His eyes widened in shock as Naruto's sword came into view. He barely took a step when Naruto drifted passed and sheathed his blade, Kisame's vision warped as thin lines appeared across his body. Naruto paid little attention as he glance over to Itachi and then into the bushes.

"What a troublesome thing." He murmured as he heard the tell-tale sound of water splashing over the ground.

"Mizu Bunshin?" Sakura murmured as she encased her limbs with rocks while watching Kisame's clone fall apart.

"Ahh" Naruto didn't take his eyes off the forest. A chuckle rang out. Moments later a figure appeared by Itachi's side, just as Kakashi disengaged and re-joined his team.

"It's seems our morning constitution paid off Itachi-San." Kisame ventured with a grin, "And it has been sometime since I swung Samehada with intent."

Kakashi narrowed his gaze and assessed the situation. He had expected something like this, but having both Itachi and Kisame was still a problem. Beside him he heard Naruto drop and shift his stance.

"Looks like we have our work cut out for us." Kakashi set to his student as he continued to eye the two Akatsuki Ninjas. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turn in time to see him shake his head.

"Not necessarily" Naruto stated as he looked deeper at the two before him. He took a step closer and cocked his head, going from one to the other.

"Where are you now?" The question was sudden, wiping the smirk of Kisame's face. "You look like them, you talk like them. You move and even feel like them…." Naruto trailed off. Then his vision narrowed.

"But you are not them, not completely." Naruto's tone was tinged with wonder. "I have never heard of felt anything like this. Fascinating."

"Naruto" Kakashi probed, bringing him back to the present.

"It's some kind of possession. The chakra signatures belong to Kisame and Itachi. But there is another, buried deeply underneath. Not to mention, the chakra itself is only a fraction of the originals." Naruto stated with confidence.

Itachi inclined his head.

"Impressive. Still I would have thought experience would teach you the price of overconfidence."

Naruto chuckled as his chakra pulsed.

"Oh it is a lesson I have learned well. But right now it's not an issue, after all you can't use your Mangekyou can you?"

Itachi blinked at that, while Kakashi focused sharply on that fact. Kisame sneered beside Itachi and shifted his stance.

"How do you want to play this Naruto?" Sakura murmured as she felt the tension spike.

Naruto shrugged lightly as he summoned two puppets.

"Despite what I said they are still dangerous. I with Kisame I have a major disadvantage." Sensing the attention he went on, "His sword's ability to absorb chakra is problem, it can disrupt the chakra strings of my puppets and jutsus."

"That is a problem, because I need to face Itachi." Kakashi finished grimly. The situation certainly didn't seem ideal.

Naruto tapped him on the shoulder, his next words caught everyone off guard.

"Actually I can take on Kisame easily enough. You guys focus on disabling Itachi, Mangekyou or not he's the greater threat."

"Naruto, now is not the time to be reckless." Kakashi barked as he took his eyes of Itachi.

In that moment the Akatsuki members struck.

Kakashi turned back to them, no time to react. The air parted swiftly beside him. Kakashi picked up a grunt from Sakura, the force of Itachi's strike almost overtook her but she managed to deflect it away from Kakashi. The Jonin pulled out a kunai and made a swipe at Itachi's exposed side. Itachi countered with his free hand, with a twist he destabilised Sakura and kicked her away before facing off with Kakashi.

* * *

Meanwhile Kisame had crossed the distance and his sword rang for Naruto's head. Naruto shifted backwards as one of his puppets moved into intercept. Its longsword met Samehada with resounding thud, locking both great blades into place. Carefully concealed vents around the puppet released the excess pressure, keeping the puppet in upright in the deadlock. Kisame's gaze narrowed as he also noted another phenomena; the air around the puppet was growing colder. The chill slowly seeped into him, sapping him of stamina. Samehada rumbled, causing his frown to increase.

Naruto smirked at the reaction. His gambit had paid off some. The puppet he had chosen was one of his fixed elemental theme puppets, this one was based of frost, ice and cold. With Jiraiya's assistance they had managed to create a fuinjutsu formulae that allowed him to convert chakra into a frost effect, much like a freezer. Also the Sannin had contacts that provided scrolls with sealed ice based techniques which Naruto secured deep within the puppet. The chill of the puppet worked in a similar vein to the cold mist he used against Kabuto, only the effects were more concentrated and localised around the puppets frame. The freezing temperatures however meant that the relative surroundings of the puppet iced over.

Kisame broke the deadlock and swiped by the puppet, temporarily disrupting the connection. He smirked as he tried to disable it, only for Naruto to counter. His chakra pulsed and his second puppet moved into action. A three foot long spike dropped sharply from the sky, glancing of Samehada's handle and knocking the sentient sword from Kisame's grip. He looked up to spot the second puppet hovering in the air on giant semi-transparent wings. Two flat oval tubes similar to the underslung weapons on his glider were in each hand with modified grip attaching the weapons to the wrist and just before the elbow. Scrolls were displayed strategically around the puppet, various ammunition types for the weapons.

The puppet cocked its weapons again and opened fire. Spikes rained down incessantly at Kisame. The blue Nin cursed and darted for his weapon, then began dodging the steel rain.

 _Suiton: Water Sphere_

Dodging a particularly dangerous spike, Kisame's chakra surged and a deluged of water streamed out of his mouth. Quickly the water took flooded the area and took shape as a sphere around him. The spikes slammed into the sphere but slowed immediately, unable to retain their force. Naruto narrowed his gaze and the puppet slowed its assault; he paid little mind to the spontaneous lake as his frost puppet stepped forwards, its sword poised to pierce deep into the water ball.

The sphere rippled ominously. Kisame gave another smirk; the sphere exploded outwards violently.

The collected spikes shot outwards at thrice their original speed. The frost puppet was caught in the blast, and several spikes sunk deep into its frame. Naruto's hair seemed to come alive as it writhe and twisted around him, deflecting the spikes as they came close. In the air the flying puppet also moved into action, evading spikes as they came.

 _Suiton: Water Prison_

The water surged behind him and rose to overtake him. He idly noted a similar ball moving on his frost puppet and a third shooting skywards. His eyes narrowed as his chakra surged.

A smile fleeted across his face; he had to admit, the challenge was exciting.

The frost puppet crouched and shifted its stance, its longsword held in its right hand and pointed backwards away from it, while its left hand was palm first in front of it. Vents opened around its frame and fuinjutsu scripts across its surface lit up, dropping the temperature around it significantly, creating an area of pure cold. The instant Kisame's water sphere made contact with the supercool area it froze. Pressure vents concealed in the right arm fired propelling it forwards, the sword grip adjusted minutely before making contact with the frozen sphere, shattering it completely.

The flying puppet hovered in place. The launcher's clasp on its left hand disengaged, the launcher itself fell a short distance before dangling on an unseen chain. The left hand braced on the right, several tubes snaked out and connected to the right arm and launcher. Both arms and launcher began to vibrate and the mouth of the launcher glowed with heat. The air coiled with energy and the centre of the flying water ball bubbled ominously. At the height of its pressure the launcher fired. What could only be described as a ray of pure heat burned a straight line from the sky to the ground; the heat ray evaporated the centre of the water ball, the surrounding liquid heated almost instantly and followed suite, turning into a cloud of mist.

Kisame whistled as two of his water prisons fail. He turned to the last prison rising from behind Naruto. Anticipation built as the prison moved to engulf the blonde Jinchuriki only for the water to distort massively. Kisame's eyes widened in surprise and quickly narrowed, his face morphed into a scowl. The way the water stretched and distorted wasn't natural, even for shinobi techniques and chakra manipulation. Kisame however didn't dwell to long on that fact, the Jinchuriki was turning out to be more than a nuisance and it was passed time he was disabled.

* * *

Itachi kept some of his attention on Naruto and couldn't help marvel at the growth. It was one thing to read up reports on his skills but to see them in action was something else entirely. Even if they were only at a third of their strength Naruto would have made a formidable opponent regardless. Just once he felt a slight envy at Sasori; both puppeteers gravitated to each other in a mutual desire to test the full range of their capabilities, even if Naruto didn't consciously acknowledge it. Whereas the only thing that bound him and Sasuke together was the blood and cries of the dead.

Itachi evaded a slash that would have taken his eye, his feet moving rapidly over the impromptu shallow lake Kisame had made. He kicked out, sending water towards Kakashi. The Jonins instincts were firing on all cylinders and he ducked, only to realise too late he had been duped. Itachi spun into a sideways kick. The blow would have struck true, but suddenly an earth stump rose just underneath his leg; Itachi hid his discomfort well, the leg was fractured at the sudden blow and his attack deflected off course. He shifted his weight to keep pressure off the foot but Kakashi was relentless, the Jonin was no longer laid back but every bit the S-Ranked shinobi enemies knew to be wary of.

Suddenly there was a sharp crack and the air was charged with heat. All eyes shifted to Naruto's location, just in time to see Kisame's form slumped over him.

* * *

Kisame gripped Samehada tight, calculating his next move. He swung over the water, sending a large spray over at Naruto; the edges sharped into blades. Naruto countered, his left hand swung into a vertical slash. Immediately the water parted before him and moved over either side. His eyes narrowed as Kisame was no longer in sight; the large chakra signature was still present in the air but was saturated all around and it was difficult to pinpoint the exact location. A sharp pulse to the left triggered his senses. His hair snapped outwards, perforating the Mist Nin. The body turned clear and began to drip; Naruto cursed as he felt a new presence to the right.

"It's been fun, gaki" Kisame smirked with dark glee, poised to strike. Naruto shifted, desperate to counter. His hair struck out, but Kisame cut through with contempt. Samehada gorged on the large amount of chakra, causing the blond strands to fall limp and shrivel. Kisame wound of for a second blow; his eyes fixed on the panic in Naruto's gaze.

The panic however changed into triumph; Kisame couldn't slow down, his attack was committed.

Samehada was stopped mid swing. The sentient blade groaned as if in pain. Kisame's arm strained, but the grip was tight. Naruto stood firm, Samehada held tight in his hand.

His _Right Hand…._

Overlapping plates slide into place. The finger points opened and slip upwards; sharpened talons were revealed and sunk deep into Samehada's scales, causing the blade more pain. Several cylindrical locks sunk into place around the prosthetic limb, blending into the frame. The plates rattled rhythmically; the sound ominous as per the design.

Naruto smirked again and his eyes flashed with chakra.

 _Kyuubi…._

 ** _You are feeling quite dark this day…. I find myself enjoying this Naruto._**

Naruto's hair went from limp to alive in an instant. The strands wove around the Mist Nin in seconds. Binding seals fleeted in the edges of vision, blinking in and out of reality. Kisame growled as his struggles proved fruitless, Samehada was been kept clear out of reach.

Naruto brought his left hand upwards, over Kisame's heart. Chakra rose rapidly, and with it heat. A seal etched it way into reality, the shadows burnt their way into Naruto's palm.

"This is the same jutsu my Valkyrie used. The only thing is I didn't have time to prepare it for myself. It's not easy increasing the oscillation range at a molecular level, but with Kyuubi I can brute force it. It's a taste of things to come."

Naruto's palm was an inch away from Kisame' and his face showed the discomfort from the rapid heat.

 _Phonon Maser_

The air crackle sharply. The rays of pure heat energy followed a straight path through clean through Kisame. He barely had time to gasp as a neat hole scorched through him, turning his heart into ash.

Naruto watched dispassionately as the blue Ninja slumped over. His prosthetic arm clicked as the grip came loose. The overlapping plates rattled rhythmically and the finger points slid downwards and closed over the sharp talons. The cylinder locks opened slightly, vented, then closed off again. Naruto flexed his fingers, giving the arm a once over and clenched his fist in satisfaction.

Slowly, his eyes drifted over to the remaining Akatsuki member. Sharingan locked with a single glowing red orbs.

No one said anything.

Nothing needed to be said.

* * *

Kisame gasped loudly and clutched his chest. In the centre of their formation Pain narrowed his gaze. Moments later Itachi blinked, coming to awareness. The Akatsuki members looked at the three figures, waiting for a clue as to what was happening.

Kisame was taunt, his face a twisted grimace at the phantom ache. Normally such sensations were not even an issue, but that last Jutsu, that was something far more dangerous than he imagined, and Kisame almost for a brief moment he was going to die.

"Kisame, Itachi." Pain called to the two members.

Kisame shook off the feeling and growled out.

"We met them as planned. The Kyuubi brat is much more dangerous now than he ever was." The anger was more than clear in the former Mist Nins tones.

"Itachi?" Pain turned the Sharingan wielder. Itachi remained expressionless.

"By my estimates they should find us within the hour. Less if they don't take the time to rest. Hatake may need sometime but I get the sense that Naruto-Kun can push further than what we saw. Next time we engage him it might be wiser for me two face him, and at full strength."

That received raised eyebrows all around.

"It seems things won't be boring after all, Sasori-no-Dana" Deidara called out excitedly.

Sasori however ignored the goings on around him. The excitement was getting to him; Naruto was close, so very close. And he wanted that fight, he had been building to this moment. And he needed to make his choice.

 _Fight for Vengeance….or Fight for Life._

Suddenly his choice was made.

Around the perimeter of the base, several security seals failed. The sabotage was subtle, concealed so as not alert anyone of what had transpired.

 _Now, Hurry Up Naruto!_

 _Vengeance or Life….none of that matters anymore._

 _Hurry Up, and give me the answers I have been waiting for._

 _Let's go, Naruto!_

* * *

Half an hour later he got his wish. Pain swore loudly, to the shock of everyone, and cast his gaze to the rock entrance of the cave. The solid rock seemed to ripple like water, before completely disintegrating. All eyes caught sight of Sakura, fist outstretched and chakra swirling ominously around her.

"The ceremony is almost over" Pain hissed out. A glance at the Gedo Mazo showed the eye was almost fully open, bearing the symbol for the Ichibi. The Biju energy was now trickling out of Gaara.

"Sasori, Deidara. Do everything to stall them, now!"

Sasori however was fixed on Naruto. His answers were here.

 _Now, I ask again. What is the truth of Art?_

* * *

 _ **A.N Now for those who want to lynch me hang on a sec; There was just no way i could do the fight we are all waiting for in this chapter. i tried but it was just...urgh.**_

 _ **so i will be leading the next chapter with that fight. i will also answer any questions or observations i have missed out for the previous chapter and this one, Just needed to get this out.**_

 _ **Catch you all soon...so please dont lynch me.**_


	9. There Can Be Only One

**_A.N. First of – apologies for the long wait. Second, good news – I have my mortgage. Third, better news – I have my new home...on paper only at this point (slight bummer). Finally, not so good news – Once I get the keys, there will be so much work to do, in addition to all the paperwork I have now; moving, furnishing, setting up internet, the works._**

 ** _It has been emotionally draining and stressful, but I got there in the end – in celebration, how does nearly 10,000 words sound? Plus a bonus short chapter? I hope you guys like it, cuz I am wrecked right now._**

 ** _I cannot say for sure when the next update will be, so accept this chapter as my apologies and thanks for being patient(ish)_**

 ** _I'll do the answers to review questions on the bonus chapter going up Friday._**

 ** _Onwards to Glory_**

* * *

 _Naruto's palm was an inch away from Kisame' and his face showed the discomfort from the rapid heat._

 _Phonon Maser_

 _The air crackled sharply. The rays of pure heat energy followed a straight path through clean through Kisame. He barely had time to gasp as a neat hole scorched through him, turning his heart into ash._

 _Naruto watched dispassionately as the blue Ninja slumped over._

 _Slowly, his eyes drifted over to the remaining Akatsuki member. Sharingan locked with a single glowing red orb._

 _Itachi's finger twitched; the false Uchiha blinked as he found himself in a cold embrace._

 _The frost puppet dwarfed Itachi. Its frame hunched over, the embrace seemed almost tender. Softly the vents opened and the temperature dropped sharply, forcing Kakashi to jerk away._

 _Within seconds Itachi was gone._

 ** _You are feeling quite dark this day…. I find myself enjoying this Naruto._**

Naruto made a cursory inspection of his puppets. His Valkyrie was undamaged; all it required was to replace one of the weapon scrolls and to ensure the integrity of the heat exchanges and the launchers barrel. His Frost puppet however had taken more of a pounding. Several rods were still embedded in the frame along with a few minor cracks from the explosion. On closer inspection it seemed to be seeping fluid from some of the holes and cracks.

Sakura stepped closer and continued to observe.

Naruto furrowed his brow in contemplation. The damage was minor; however given the opposition it was probably best to rectify the problems now that there was time. With a quick flick and a pulse of chakra the puppet was in front of Naruto. Several clicks later and most of the locks holding it together were undone. Naruto's hair flayed around and pulled out two large hoops. More hair moved, morphing into hands that sped through seals. Both hoops glowed; Naruto tossed them over his frost puppet, the hoops expanded as the moved over the puppet and lay suspended in mid-air, one just shoulder high and the other resting around the knee area.

Given the size of the puppet Sakura noted that the hoops left a considerable radius around the puppet. The next move caused her to gasp, alerting Kakashi and Chiyo. Both looked over, the concern turning into shock and interest.

Naruto's hair maintained the seal; the rings pulsed gently and released two more on either side. The frost puppet rose off the ground and slowly shifted vertically. As the puppet hovered more of Naruto's hair grew out towards it, the thick strands pulled the locks on the puppet free and removed the torso frame revealing a complex system.

The new puppet designed favoured an endoskeleton; thick fibre bundles connected across the arms, legs and other around the puppet, serving as a type of muscle system.

"Naruto, what in Kami-"Sakura couldn't continue as she continued to look over the exposed workings of the puppet. Kakashi and Elder Chiyo were equally impressed. The sharp gaze of the Suna Elder missed nothing as she catalogued the exposed puppet. The design was far from the norm; the skeleton itself seemed to be made of metal.

Elder Chiyo stepped closer to the puppet. Her hand stretched out slightly but stopped, she turned to glance at Naruto and found his gaze locked on her, aware of her desire. He cocked his head slightly to the left and gave an accenting nod.

Her hand reached the target and ran a gentle finger down the exposed skeleton.

"Composites..." she murmured as she kept the appraisal, "No, not all composites. Alloys as well, keeping the structure strong, but light enough and durable."

She traced the fibres that passed for muscles on the puppet; she leaned in closer as the thick cords turned out to be tightly packed elastic fibres. She shook her head in amazement; the muscle cords had been placed strategically to maximise effectiveness, working in tandem with the skeleton to make the puppet both fast and strong.

This 'style' bridged the gap between puppet and human.

As she pulled her hand away she felt a residue, the feeling was akin to gel with minute grains.

"That is a type of chakra reactive gel, it cost me more than I'd like to admit to get that particular formula but it was worth it" Naruto stated as he continued to service the puppet, taking out the rods and replacing spent scrolls.

"Most chakra solutions lack viscosity, for my puppets however it is essential. It reacts positively with chakra and allows for more dynamic reactions; the connection is almost immediate and I can operate multiple puppets with no discernible drop in capability across them. Its viscous nature means I don't have to worry about losing all the fluids if the outer frame is broken or cut open."

Elder Chiyo pulsed chakra and felt the gel excite over her fingers. Very casually she rubbed her hand clean; the fingers ghosted across her clothes, capturing a small portion of the gel in tube for further analysis.

"Don't judge me child, such is the way of things" she huffed at the tell-tale glance from Naruto, the smirk he was sporting adding to her irritation.

Naruto kept the smile as he made the final checks. He ran a finger down the spin of the puppet and watched as various auxiliary seal scripts lit up. Finally he unsealed a new torso shell, the inside slick with traces of the chakra gel.

"Wow" Sakura intoned, as the last piece of the puppet clicked into place. Kakashi shook his head, silently acknowledging Naruto's skills and designs.

"We've sent the reports to Konoha,"

"-And Suna" Elder Chiyo cut in. Kakashi gave a nod in assent and carried on.

"Most likely Tsunade-Sama will send reinforcements, but we cannot afford to wait."

Naruto nodded, his frost puppet wound up its arm, muscle fibres and parts shifting or clicking into place. Sakura's chakra thrummed under the surface, gearing up for a confrontation.

Kakashi nodded in approval.

"We press on"

* * *

The retrieval team made good time, and despite his initial misgivings Kakashi had to grudgingly admit that Sasori's map had been of great help. The pathway set out for them bypassed several layers of defences, much of which would have taken more time away from them, not to mention revealed them to Akatsuki too early.

However, the closer they got to the Akatsuki base the more his instincts screamed out to him that was something about the situation was not altogether clear. And much of the unease centred on Naruto.

Kakashi recalled Naruto's theory regarding Akatsuki; how they compromised Jiraiya's spy network and their scheme to separate the Sannin from Naruto. The explanation had been well thought out, and made a lot of sense.

Too much sense; and that was the problem he was having. It was also why he was keeping more than usual attention on his blonde student. There was urgency in his movements; understandable considering the relationship between both Jinchuriki's. However there was also an undercurrent of excitement, a need for battle; it was well hidden but Kakashi was a veteran ninja with more years in service than his students had been alive, and all that experience told him that there was more at stake, more to the situation than was readily known.

"Is there something you want to ask, Kaka-Sensei?" Naruto called, bringing him out of his reverie. Kakashi took a long look at Naruto; he couldn't afford to be indecisive, but on the other hand…

"No, nothing" Kakashi sighed, keeping his thoughts quiet for now. Nothing was clear; he needed more information.

Naruto glanced backwards at the Jonin. As they locked gazes something seemed to pass between them. Moments later the feelings left.

* * *

Naruto could feel his pulse race as he picked up the faint signal of Gaara's chakra, along with several other signatures and something with a presence unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

 ** _'_** ** _I will have words with you now Uzumaki Naruto'_**

The thought rang out so sharp, so clear Naruto almost missed a step. Very rarely did the Biju deign to speak to him, or even call to him. It made comments every once in a while, but only when Naruto drew on his chakra and if the situation amused him or suited his fancy.

Calling to him was something the Kyuubi never did; it just wasn't in the beings nature.

As Naruto focused inwards he was surprised at the turbulence in the Biju's energies. Clearly the being was agitated by something; Naruto filed that thought to the darkest parts of his mind and focused on the Biju.

As Naruto opened his eyes he was back on the vast lake of his mental world. Over the years the surroundings seemed to have grown, the clockwork trees fuller and bigger, the gears in the skies bigger and more numerous, joined by fog like clouds, ranging in colours of purest white to dark greys. The Iron Mountains bordering the edges had also grown in sizes and the molten core burned with gusto. The lake had also deepened and was the clearest of blues; the Shinigami's seals burned away around the edges.

The lake rippled and darkened; the scene changed, revealing the nine-tails in all its glory.

 _'_ _You called, Kyuubi.'_

Naruto kept a wary yet respectful eye on the great being. Over the years his fear of the Biju had lessened somewhat, changing over to caution and health respect for its power. And Kyuubi was something that demanded respect, much like a body demanded air or water. Surprisingly his respect had been returned, again somewhat, and the two had an informal pact between them.

Still the Kyuubi wasn't one to make overt calls, but Naruto couldn't really determine without first hearing what it had to say.

Kyuubi's bright red orbs burned with intensity as he studied Naruto.

 ** _'_** ** _Something is wrong with the Ichibi's presence…the patterns are unnatural."_**

Naruto blinked at the statement, he made to speak but stopped at the sharp gaze from Kyuubi. Looking closer he took in the tense stance and could feel even on the edges of the seal the ripples of the Biju's energy.

 ** _"_** ** _Not only the Ichibi. I can tell some of my-…the others are in similar states."_**

 _"_ _We are making our way to Gaara, the Ichibi Jinchuriki" Naruto amended seeing the lack of acknowledgment at the Suna Nins name. Ignoring the scoff he pressed on. "From what we know a group of highly skill Ninjas are capturing Jinchuriki's and extracting the Bijus. The how's or whys we don't fully know yet. Can you tell which of the…others have been captured?"_

Kyuubi's eyes blazed at the question but his words remained calm.

 ** _"_** ** _It is enough for me to know, if you find out for yourself you are welcome to it. The energy is unnatural; then again everything about your species is unnatural."_**

Naruto didn't bat an eye at the offhand statement. Despite him and Kyuubi being on cordial terms, the Biju still could not be swayed on his views towards mortals. And Naruto hadn't really tired hard to push his views on the Biju.

 ** _"_** ** _So, given the state of affairs, do you rise to the aid of the Ichibi's container? Or does your interest lie in something else…?"_** Kyuubi's voice trailed and his eyes gleamed wickedly.

 _"_ _My mission is to find and protect Gaara. Get him away from Akatsuki and if necessary fight them to ensure his safety."_ Naruto stated with confidence, his gaze never leaving the mocking orbs of Kyuubi.

 ** _"_** ** _It amazes me, how you can reply as such. Then again, given the nature of your kind, how can one expect life without hypocrisy?"_** Kyuubi noted the irritation flash over Naruto and his sneer widened. **_"You disapprove? How utterly human of you."_**

 _"_ _Being human does not make me a hypocrite. And there is no crime in saving my friend, regardless of circumstance."_ Naruto fired out.

 ** _"_** ** _And I never said there was, saving the Ichibi's host does not make you a hypocrite. Denial, either overtly or by omission, makes you a hypocrite; it is a trait built into your kind, most embrace and revel in it, but all are guilty of its fruit."_**

Naruto shook his head again, anger and frustration at Kyuubi's rhetoric.

 ** _"_** ** _Tell yourself whatever 'truths' you wish, the fact is you are eager for this confrontation. Your heart burns with a thrill of battle, a test of not might, but of wit and cunning, skill and audacity. Not butchers, but surgeons. The capture of the Ichibi was merely the opening, allowing you to exercise your desires."_**

 ** _"_** ** _The world knows you, as the viper you have always shown yourself to be, yet I wonder; if they all knew how you really thought, what really drives you, will they still see you as you show them? Or will they truly realise what a monster you really are?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Afterall, the poison of a viper is not meant for its prey. No the poison of the viper is what gives predators pause. To face one head one is the height of folly; and yet none really know how dark your venom is."_**

Silence reigned, save the sounds of swishing tails.

 _"_ _And what is your point?"_ Naruto asked finally, only to receive dark chuckles in return

 ** _"_** ** _Does there have to be? Simply pointing out the flawed existence of your kind is enough for me, regardless of our bargain."_** Seeing the outline of his jailor begin to blur Kyuubi's body pulsed with chakra. **_"We are not done yet"_**

Naruto bit back a retort and calmed, waiting for the Biju to speak.

 ** _"…_** ** _Shukaku is to me, as the one called Gaara is to you."_** Naruto blinked in shock; this was the first time he had ever heard Kyuubi call out the name of anyone, other than him. Even more shocking was his declaration regarding the Shukaku.

 ** _"_** ** _His presence is greatly distorted, I want to know why. I want to know what your kind is doing to my brethren."_**

Naruto gave a slow nod. Kyuubi's gaze narrowed and red chakra flowed through the lake.

* * *

Naruto inhaled sharply as volatile chakra seared through him, unblocking his blind eye and sharpening his senses.

"Naruto!" came a sharp query from Kakashi. Even the Jonin was tense as they slowed literally over the Akatsuki base. Naruto shook his head to tell he was okay and slowed his breathing.

"Kyuubi can sense Shukaku's energy, sensei the Biju's presence is in flux and falling dangerously. Gaara doesn't have much time."

Kakashi nodded and continued to analyse the surroundings.

"Sasori did us a massive favour. I counted dozens of traps, overt and concealed. We could have been bogged down, or at least alerted them and given them time to prepare." Kakashi commented as his Sharingan spun lazy circles.

"The outer perimeter is secured, and the other traps have been disabled. Now-"at that Kakashi popped his neck and his chakra flickered with intent "-all we have to do is knock."

All eyes turned to Sakura, who was sporting a wide grin.

 _SHANNARO!_

* * *

Pain swore loudly, to the shock of everyone, and cast his gaze to the rock entrance of the cave. The solid rock seemed to ripple like water, before completely disintegrating. All eyes caught sight of Sakura, fist outstretched and chakra swirling ominously around her.

"The ceremony is almost over" Pain hissed out. A glance at the Gedo Mazo showed the eye was almost fully open, bearing the symbol for the Ichibi. The Biju energy was now trickling out of Gaara.

"Sasori, Deidara. Do everything to stall them, now!"

Sasori however was fixed on Naruto.

Then he moved.

The Gedo Mazo suddenly cut off as Sasori broke the link and grabbed Gaara's body. In one smooth motion he tossed the unconscious body towards Deidara, whilst blocking the attack from Kakashi. Keeping the momentum Sasori forced Kakashi to break the deadlock and then _flew_ into an intercept with Naruto; the blonde cursed as he was forced to break target from the stunned Deidara as Sasori blocked his path.

"Deidara, get the Ichibi container out of here. As long as we still have him the extraction can continue." Sasori stated in monotone. Deidara cocked his head at his partner; a mocking grin grew on his features as a clay bird appeared beside him. He hopped on as it grabbed Gaara's body.

"Hmm, I got to fight one Jinchuriki and it was a blast" Deidara taunted, letting Gaara's body hover tantalisingly. "I wonder if I can go two for two. You don't mind do you, Sasori-No-Dana?"

Both Sasori and Naruto snorted.

"Fortunately for you, I know who the real threat is" Naruto retorted as he maintained a deadlock with Sasori. He raised his voice slightly and called out to his team, "Kaka-Sensei, you and Sakura get Gaara. Elder Chiyo and I have a prior engagement."

Naruto's chakra rippled and Sasori pulled back sharply; Naruto's puppet right arm lit up with seals and he slammed it hard into the floor, sending out a wave of force and chakra across the cave. Minor flashes and symbols fleeted around fading into obscurity, while the raw chakra disrupted the Akatsuki projections.

"Sensei, while you can manage Sakura hasn't had that much experience fighting puppeteers at this level. And besides, this battle has been years in the making."

Seeing the sharp and cautious look in Kakashi's eyes, he elaborated. "Sasori is currently sitting at the top of the puppet world, his name is synonymous with the father of all puppetry; there is no way I can pass this up, and neither can he."

Kakashi nodded slowly while Deidara scowled in the background. Then, to the shock of all Sasori began to chuckle.

Slowly he reached for his Akatsuki robe and with a flourish pulled it free, discarding it to the floor. Shocked gasps echoed around as it was revealed to be a puppet. The loudest being from Elder Chiyo as she recognised the face.

"Hiruko" She breathed out in shock. The feeling only increased as the large Kabuki mask that took most of its back opened, and out stepped Sasori.

"Is that Sasori?" Sakura queried, wary at the sudden oppressive atmosphere. "And who or what is Hiruko?"

"Hiruko was once a skilled and capable Ninja, a legend in his own right" Sasori answered. He raised his hand and brushed it over the surface of the puppet before continuing. "I was very impressed with him, so much so I sought to preserve the warrior spirit for all eternity. He is now one of my favourite puppets."

That drew another breath from everyone. Naruto trembled at the thought; Sasori had taken someone, a living being and turned them somehow into a puppet. It explained the disparity he was suddenly feeling from Sasori. Never had he seen the Suna Master with any of his puppets, Sasori had always shown himself and his signature was distinct to Naruto's senses.

Now though there was another signature, this one coming from the puppet. Sasori's puppet _had_ a chakra signature; Sasori's puppet was capable of _generating_ chakra.

Naruto was both fascinated and horrified by the technique.

"Deidara, you are still here" Somehow, even with his bland tones the statement carried immense menace and Deidara flinched as if struck. The former Rock Nin nodded and took off his clay bird. Kakashi cursed and followed in pursuit, calling Sakura to his side.

Naruto and Sasori paid little attention as they were left behind, with Chiyo alongside them.

* * *

"So, you finally completed that technique. To think you would go this far" Chiyo murmured as she gazed longingly at her grandson.

"The path to perfection comes in many guises. It is up to the beholder to choose the steps he would walk in" Sasori glanced over to his grandmother; for a brief moment his gaze seemed to soften as he spoke "It is good to see you again Obasama"

Both Puppeteers politely ignored her display of emotion.

"Elder Chiyo, would you be our observer?" Naruto called out softly, once she regained her composure. Chiyo glanced at the Konoha puppet master, panning from him to her grandson and back again. Understanding fleeted across her features and she gave a soft sigh.

"Very well."

That was all they needed.

There was no hard flare, no roar of chakra. Yet the cave seemed to come alive, it groaned as both puppet masters unleashed the full weight of their presence on each other. A clash of ideals and philosophies, a battle of truth.

 _Now, which truth is more correct? Is Art Eternal…or does it lie in another path?_

* * *

Sasori was a blur. Hiruko was already in motion while he prepared to unleash another puppet.

Naruto however wasn't idle; swiftly he countered Hiruko with his Earth Dragon jutsu. Using it as a mobile platform, he swept passed the puppet; chakra pulsed on the side of the earth dragon and shards of rock launched rapidly at exposed puppet.

At the same time Naruto summoned a puppet, one he used against Kakashi during the bell test; the puppet seemed bigger, yet retained the smooth and heavily armoured outline, this time the one-sided hammer was replaced with an equally large and wicked looking one-sided axe, the opposite side of which had an exhaust port.

The hulking goliath of a puppet seemed lumbering as it crossed the distance to Hiruko; the rock shards bounced off it armoured shell harmlessly. Once in range it swung with a wide cleaving blow.

Sasori narrowed at the sight and his fingers flickered.

Hiruko hunched inwards. The large metal Kabuki mask on its back swung up and open, catching the axe swing. Metal screeched as both scraped across each other. The Goliath pulled back and made for another swing. Hiruko however was swifter; its palm opened and revealed a telescopic spike. The spike glowed red hot and left a trail of heat and smoke as it sped for the Goliaths side.

Naruto's finger flickered; The Goliath shifted, just barely allowing the spike to scrape across the side of its frame. The red hot spike left a scar down the side, though it never managed to penetrate through. The move however put the Goliath at a disadvantage and it's cleave hit nothing but empty air.

Both puppets broke apart and moved rapidly to reengage. Hiruko raised its left hand, showcasing the large projectile with various protrusions. With a blast the projectile launched, straight for Naruto's position. Naruto drifted passed on his Earth Dragon and focused on Sasori; however a series of smaller blasts caught his attention. The projectile had been a large canister. As it went past the protrusions were forcefully ejected and exploded, unleashing a hailstorm of senbon needles all around.

Naruto cursed and his chakra pulsed hard. His left hand came up with a sweeping motion and the world _rippled._ In an impossible feat, Naruto evaded the storm of iron, regardless of direction or speed, somehow finding a path in the chaos. As the metal rain tapered Naruto's hair shifted and formed hand seals. A strong wind swept around, sending the excess senbons flying off.

The whole engagement happened in less than a minute.

Meanwhile, Hiruko danced around with Goliath, chakra and synapse seemed to travel at the speed of thought. Hiruko kept darting in and out but never able to more than superficial damage. Sections of the puppet also showed signs of heavy damage from glancing blows of the Goliath's axe, but not enough to disable it permanently. Suddenly the Goliath seemed to overextend, missing its target and leaving itself wide open. Hiruko lunged in for the kill, as a victorious predator on hapless prey. The heat spike glowed brightly as it sang for the exposed opponent.

Naruto smirked.

The area around the Goliath seemed to ripple; Hiruko missed his target by less than a foot, going just past and leaving itself dangerously exposed. The Goliath then went from prey to predator; in a feat of impossible agility the large puppet spun round, ready with a massive broadside. The exhaust port on the back of the axe lit up, propelling the weapon with a blow that would shatter Hiruko.

Naruto was certain of his first victory.

Dark particulates fleeted through the air. Naruto paid them little mind however; he hadn't missed the smirk that suddenly grew on Sasori's face. His own elation shifted to caution and confusion.

The confusion turned into shock, and then grim worry.

* * *

Elder Chiyo had a hand over her mouth in shock at the sight in front of her.

"So that's what happened to him."

As she spoke the dust cloud grew in mass; the particles streamed out from Sasori's new puppet, the puppet that was a source of her shock and despair.

The outfit was different and obviously the body heavily modified. However the face was still recognisable; the jutsu, the skill he had developed over several years, that too was recognisable.

After all, the secrets of the black sand had been uncovered by one man. The man who was one of Suna's greatest leaders, the strongest of its guardians.

The Third Kazekage

* * *

Naruto's chakra pulsed, sending signals and commands to the Goliath. The fibres and muscles on the puppet strained, trying desperately to follow the instructions given.

It was an exercise in futility

Sasori was sporting a rare smile as his chakra streamed through the Third Kazekage. As the puppet floated behind him masses of black particles streamed out and over the cave. Streams of the particles swarmed around Hiruko and Goliath, the particles also formed a mass above the puppets.

Naruto snarled as he still couldn't get his Goliath to move. He glared at the black mass over the two puppets and the particles streaming around. His chakra wasn't being blocked; the black mass was exerting immense pressure on his puppet, preventing it from taking any action. Naruto's perception had picked up on the chakra and the strange pattern it flowed in. It didn't take long to notice the particles were actually metal, large enough quantities it looked like black sand. It didn't take him long to then realise what was happening.

"Magnetism" He snarled out, cursing both Sasori's puppet and his own designs. His puppets used a large amount of ore in many of its key structures. More than seventy percent of the puppet was one form of metal or another.

"I hope this is not the end Naruto" Sasori called out as the Third Kazekage shifted its stance. The left sleeve of its coat widened as multiple arms popped free. Sasori's eyes lit up in glee at the worry displayed on his opponent; his chakra pulsed and the Third Kazekage fired a barrage, with purple smoke trailing behind.

 _Poison_

Naruto cursed loudly and his chakra rose; the air pressure shifted across the cave rapidly.

Before the smoke could reach him or spread Naruto's left arm shot out, his palm outwards. The canisters ricocheted wildly before exploding. The purple smoke trailing then stopped suddenly; the smoke seemed to pool and flatten on one side, before following the laws of gas and motion, spreading down the length on both sides and back to Sasori.

"Another barrier seal; and one I am unfamiliar with at that. It's good to see you kept something back."

Naruto didn't even bother to correct Sasori as he maintained his connections. His senses fed information to him and his mind processed multiple possibilities and options; Goliath was still not responding and open to dangerous counterattacks from Hiruko, meanwhile the Third Kazekage was spewing poison all over the cave.

He barely spared Elder Chiyo a glance, content she could take care of herself; without ventilation the poison cloud would saturate and become more troublesome as the fight went on.

His senses rang out sharply as Sasori made his move.

Hiruko broke the standoff with Goliath, content the larger puppet was restrained. It swung round and darted straight for Naruto, its heated spike bearing down on him with impunity.

Naruto chanced a quick glance at Sasori and spotted the tell-tale gleam behind the analytical mind; Sasori knew he had him, but he also knew Naruto could break away. The question was how, without losing what little advantage he had and keeping the smoke confined in Sasori's half of the cave.

Naruto cursed again and rallied his chakra. He knew he would have to be more overt, show more of his skills; he hadn't expected however for it to be so early in the game.

A smile grew on his face as his heart raced with excitement.

Sasori looked on with undisguised interest. In all the time he had been observing and cataloguing Naruto's skills and development he had come across an interesting facet of the younger Nins abilities. Ninjas were capable of incredible feats but what Naruto did _defied logic, defied reason._ Attacks that should have landed would miss. Projectiles shot straight and true would be off course by the time it reached him. Sure kills would be narrow escapes, or beautiful feints.

Impossible feats these were not; but the circumstances and frequencies at which they occurred could not be denied. And he aimed to uncover more about the mysterious ability.

He reduced the amount of poison gas spraying from his puppet and subtly manipulated the spread to get a better view on Naruto's position. His eyes zeroed in on the blonde puppeteer, just as Hiruko came within striking distance. Again the air seemed to ripple, it was as subtle thing, but now that he was aware of it he could spot it consistently. His eyes widened however as he noted a separate ripple around Naruto's Goliath; the ripples themselves grew in strength as did Naruto's chakra.

Sasori's fingers were already in motion when Naruto acted.

Hiruko pierced through the air as Naruto suddenly was no longer in front of it. The blonde puppeteer reappeared several feet to the left of his original position, facing Hiruko. Naruto glanced sharply to the left; the barrier seal still held the poison smoke at bay, to his immense relief, but he needed to get rid of it quickly.

At the same time, his Goliath shifted, crossing a greater distance to come within striking distance of Hiruko. The Goliaths the massive axe singing through the air for the exposed Hiruko. Again Sasori intervened; iron sand sped through the air, bypassing Naruto's barrier to his chagrin and Sasori's surprise. Most of the iron particles coalesced into a mass above both puppets, with several clouds spinning around Hiruko, providing defence and hindering the Goliath. The mass above exerted more chakra, sending out magnetic waves. The strong waves hit the Goliath, slowing its speed before it could impact Hiruko. Hiruko stepped retreated a few steps and panels opened. Hidden launchers poked free, ready to rain fire on Naruto's position.

The moment Hiruko moved however, Naruto had already gone; tell-tale signs of a now familiar ripple faded from behind Hiruko. The whisper of a blade coming free echoed in the silence; Naruto's stance shifted as his sword cut a smooth arc through the air. Iron sand rushed around him, scoring scratches and scrapes across his exposed face and ripping parts of his clothes. Naruto paid little attention to the pinpricks; a distortion, the shape of a sphere, occurred roughly around Hiruko, just as Naruto's sword reach the apex of its swing.

 _Ninth Judgment Blade._

The sword made contact with the distortion. As it phased through nine distinct lines trace through Hiruko; the directions were random and all seemed to curve or twist unnaturally.

A split second before the sword exited the distortion, the edge of his blade traced through the lines, cutting deep into Hiruko. Naruto flicked his sword and sheathe the blade, breathing in tandem with the action.

 _"_ _Annihilation"_ He intoned as his sword locked into place firmly. At the sound the distortion fell apart, followed closely by Hiruko; the puppet came undone in nine separate pieces.

Naruto turned back sharply to the still unmoving Sasori. His hair waved about, responding to his will; not far behind his Goliath shifted to his left hand side, its massive axe cocked on its shoulder. Fortunately his barrier was transparent; despite the purple tones of the poison smoke he still had a clear view of his opponent.

And also again fortunately, the barrier was holding.

* * *

Sasori felt the moment his connection broke from Hiruko, moments before seeing the puppet fall apart from the sword attack. He traced the pieces and then locked his gaze on Naruto, working through what he had just seen.

Skilled Ninjas could make multiple attacks seem like just one; wind jutsu users were quite notorious for the feat, given the nature of that particular element. But what Naruto had just done was not a wind strike, and it definitely wasn't multiple strikes disguised to look like one.

Somehow he had struck only _once;_ Hiruko came apart in _nine_ places. And Sasori could roughly tell how it had been done.

"Spatial Manipulation, the holy grail of Ninjutsu" he caught a flinch, "aided by an impressive amount of precision chakra manipulation and Fuinjutsu." A much larger flinch had him smirking like a shark.

"Somehow you have learned how to manipulate the very borders of space, distorting it as to suite your needs. That is how you have been evading certain death, isn't it Naruto?"

Behind Sasori the Third Kazekage rattled as the poison smoke tapered out, no sense wasting the gas if it wasn't going beyond its borders….speaking off,

"That barrier…it also utilises the principles of special manipulation doesn't it." The more Sasori thought about it the more he felt sure; the pinched look and flash in Naruto's eyes was also telling, "With your skill in Fuinjutsu it wouldn't be difficult for you to come up with a seal recognises the four states of matter, and then restrict the free movement of one of those state; that being gas."

Naruto remain silent, however his stance had already given much of his feelings away. Then again Sasori had invested a lot of time on the blonde puppeteer, and this level of planning was what he expected, what he desired in his opponent. The barrier was impressive and perfect against most puppeteers and anyone who favoured the use of smoke or poison bombs.

Still, there were flaws, and Sasori had already spotted all of them.

"Had you had time to properly set up the seals I have a feeling the barrier would be more frightening. But this is rushed, not sloppy but definitely rushed."

Sasori stepped closer, each step sending a new wave of tension in Naruto. He brought his fingers up, ticking them down as he spoke.

"Seventeen feet. That is how far you can be from the barrier right now. Because you had to rush you used yourself as an anchor point as well, your chakra is feeding the barrier but unchecked. If you move any further the barrier will begin to slip, possibly fail."

"You have not left visual contact with the barrier. You have not allowed yourself to turn your back to it. No matter how good the seal work you still need to visually verify what needs to be barred. Doubly so as this is a rush job, you constantly have to monitor it; the whole length of it."

"Finally, you have only one barrier up, that isn't like you." Sasori stopped just a foot away from the border. "I have a feeling this is one of a set; four at minimum working in tandem. With the proper seals in place you can easily transition, blocking on multiple levels in various states; liquids, solids and gases."

"What makes you so sure?" Naruto's eyes were like flints; Sasori smiled and merely looked up, above Naruto.

Naruto followed the gaze and swore loudly.

Masses of iron sand swarmed overhead, passing through the barrier with impunity. Several had already coalesced into solid shapes and loomed ominously.

* * *

The first warning was the loss of control of his Goliath; his second warning was the increased chakra activity from Sasori to the Third Kazekage and from the puppet to the iron sand.

Making no further attempt to hide what he was doing the world visibly rippled as he bent space, just in time to counter Sasori's attack. Iron sand rained down on his position; only by bending space did he avoid the ginger sized bullets, traveling at immense speeds. Splitting his focus he sent a ripple through his Goliath, however Sasori had already anticipated the move.

Naruto blinked in shock as the moment his puppet shifted location it was set upon by Sasori's, trailed closely by a mass of iron sand. Another distortion and Goliath had shifted again, only to strain as the magnetic properties of the Iron sand took effect. Naruto snarled in frustration as he tried a third distortion. The Goliath had just enough time to bring its axe to bear, warding off a crippling blow from the Third Kazekage.

"Your distortions are easy to read. Not to mention the pattern in which you move your puppets is not as random as you would have people believe" Sasori commented as he sent more chakra and instructions out; The Third Kazekage rattled ominously and the iron sand swarmed with added menace.

Naruto eyed the sand swarm, menacing blackness moving through the air. He felt more than he saw his Goliath's struggle against the magnetic forces; he was growing more than a little irritated at that particular weakness. He cocked his neck and rolled his shoulders.

Time to up his game…again

Naruto pulled out two new scrolls. Before he could unravel it however Sasori was once again on the attack. Naruto didn't even have time to curse as he once again danced around the iron storm. His Goliath was taking an impressive beating, and Naruto knew the puppet couldn't last much longer with the pressure; also he noted with worry the more he focused on countering the attack, the weaker the barrier grew. His apprehension spiked as he noted wisps of the purple smoke slip through the barrier as it went permeable; Naruto poured chakra back into the seal the barrier shuddered and regained integrity.

His relief gave way to gasp of shock and pain; two long branching spikes of iron sand pierced clean through his body, in fixing the barrier he had let his guard down allowing Sasori to capitalise. The Goliath immediately went slack though still remained upright thanks to the magnetic forces of the iron sand. The barrier holding back the smoke trembled violently before collapsing.

Despite the obvious victory, Sasori still felt cautious. His suspicions were not in vain.

 _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_

Naruto reappeared close to the cave wall with Elder Chiyo in tow, far from Sasori's position and the smoke. Two shadows sped forwards on the attack; Sasori reacted, bringing the Third Kazekage to his defence. The puppet deflected the strikes, its multiple arms weaving an impassable barrier of constant attack. Sasori leaped backwards and sent out another pulse; iron sand swarmed again, clumping together to form even larger masses. With larger masses the magnetic pull increased, the Goliath physically groaned under the pressure before cracking in multiple places. The two new shadows however moved through the fields; Sasori blinked with interest at the new findings, before sending out a swarm of iron particles to further test the puppets.

One of the puppets stepped forwards. Carefully stylised vents opened and seal scripts lit up across its frame. Seconds later the heat went up in the cave, followed swiftly by an inferno. The loose pockets of iron sand swarming overhead seemingly recoiled from the heatwave, before glowing red hot at the intensity. The large mass of iron also began to glow softly from the increasing temperatures, all around the heat and flames reduced some swarming iron into molten metal pools.

As Sasori hastily pulled the iron sand back the second puppet made its move. It struck out with its weapon, a cross between a blade and a whip; the blade itself also was similar to a large pair of scissors with the whip attached to one of the handles.

The open blade sang for Sasori's neck. The former Suna Nin jinked backwards just as the weapon sniped closed, barely missing his neck. He was forced to move sideways as the whip lashed out. the attacks came relentlessly; Sasori's fingers twitched as he stepped back once again, allowing the Third Kazekage to interpose between them. His puppet stopped the attack dead with a bladed arm, at the same time more iron sand swarmed ready to crush the new puppet.

Naruto's new puppet broke the deadlock and thrust both arms out to the sides. Lighting chakra and currents arced across its frame, before surging into an electrical storm. The energy quickly found a path through the iron clouds, overrunning them with blistering speed and disrupting Sasori's control over the mass.

As the electrical storm grew, Naruto turned back to his collapsed barrier. It had held for longer than he had expected, but now the poisonous smoke was slowly spilling its way through the cave. He spotted elder Chiyo slowing her breathing before attempting to fit an apparatus to her face. Naruto cursed himself for forgetting something so basic but for the moment it was irrelevant, getting rid of the poison was.

His hair shifted again, moving into handseals; immediately a wind picked up in the cave, moving in a series of circles that grew tighter with every spin. The wind picked up the smoke until much of it was packed in a high speed ball of air. Then came the hard part.

Naruto stretched out his left hand, palm open and facing downwards. His chakra rose once again, putting pressure on the atmosphere. Hints and ghosts echoed around the cave, catching even Sasori's attention. Slowly Naruto turned his hand upwards; his palm closing slightly, his index and middle fingers struggling to remain upright. As this happened, seal scripts etched their way into reality, around his palm and slowly growing more visible in the air. The scripts coalesced around the spinning ball of wind and smoke, taking on a character all recognised as _Fire._

 _Uzumaki Fuinjutsu: Way of The Flame – Prominence._

The pressure seemed to triple as Naruto's hands and fingers made the final leg of the journey upwards. With the two fingers upright chakra flashed and the large seal burned its way into reality for a split second; no matter the position in the cave, all could make out the giant symbols that made up fire.

Sasori looked down in amazement as the floor glowed white hot. An eruption of flame lit up cave; the winds sputtered as the fires gorged itself and grew even more. The poison smoke stool little chance against the heat, burning away till nothing was left.

The inferno raging in the cave was matched only by the blaze in Naruto's eyes. This was the fight he had longed for. This was the test he had sought out.

And he still had more cards to play.

* * *

 _White Noise….._

That was all Sasori could hear. It was all he could see. Over the last few years he had being experience things, feelings he had long assumed were gone or at least buried so far deep they would never again witness the light of day. And now, here with this fight, this battle, those feelings surged, riding waves of raw emotion to the surface. His mind was a storm and he could not hold back the currents.

No, not a storm…..

 _A fire…., an all-consuming passion._

Sasori cocked his head at the realisation; suddenly he smiled. The feature looked completely out of place on the red haired puppeteer, causing both his opponent and his grandmother to tense.

Sasori didn't care for the reaction. At that point he realised the truth;

He didn't care about plans; plans to take on the Jinchuriki, plans on how to best disable his opponent. He didn't care about schemes, battle strategies.

He didn't care about the future; he didn't care about _eternity._

 _True Art is Eternal…._

No, that didn't matter. All that mattered was the moment. The single moment….no, he was no Deidara.

All that mattered was the series of moments; every second of every minute of the present, the here and now. That was all that mattered; it was the truth of his world, of his desires.

A chuckle escaped his lips, transcending into a long and clear laugh. He could sense the shock and wariness in his opponent ( _Naruto_ ), his rival. He could sense the wonder and longing in Elder Chiyo ( _Obasama_ ). A small part of him wondered if his laugh was truly that disconcerting, polarising.

 _No…it is the simplicity of joy. The expression of his thoughts. For one such as him, to give a laugh so….ordinary._

Sasori only laughed harder.

His eyes opened and he locked gazes with Naruto. Giving one more haunting smile the dam finally broke.

With one step forwards, the cave was filled with Sasori's presence.

* * *

Kakashi hissed in irritation as he was once again forced to swerve away from the exploding clay creatures. Overhead Deidara cackled, however Kakashi could discern the underlying frustration and unease in the Akatsuki Nin.

He could tell, because he felt the same way as well.

More clay figures leapt at him. Before he could counter several clumps of earth shot upwards; the earth clumps seemed to open and swallow several of the clay pieces, closing up on them while carrying on into the air. Kakashi dispatched of the rest, overhead he could make out the sound of breaking rock; the results of the clay exploding.

"Thanks Sakura"

The pink haired Chunin nodded and turned her attention back to their airborne opponent. She sped through handseals and a column of earth rose from underneath her. Speeding through more seals the column juddered as sharpened pieces of rock grew out of the sides and fired upon Deidara. The Akatsuki Nin cackled in delight as he swerved and weaved around the incoming projectiles; Sakura however remained relentless, increasing the rate of fire and the area of coverage.

"Kaka-Sensei" Kakashi barley started at the whisper behind him; somehow he had missed the earth clone forming, but as it was his student it wasn't fatal. "I don't know how long he will play games, so whatever you are doing make it fast."

Kakashi nodded as the earth clone dissolved. He couldn't dally around, not with Gaara's life hanging in the balance. He centred himself and focused his chakra; his Sharingan spun rapidly, waiting for an opening.

* * *

Elder Chiyo could feel the tears flow freely down her cheeks. She had hoped to encounter her wayward grandson. She wanted to see what he had become in his exile. When she had first glimpsed him she couldn't deny the love she still held for him; no more than she could deny the monster he had become. It was his eyes that made her grief so bittersweet. Alert yet dead, aware yet unseeing.

Not Anymore….

More tears poured out as she saw a fire in those orbs. For the first time in years she saw _life_. Life was splayed all across his eyes, over his face and every inch of his form.

His chakra; a powerful force seemed to heave with _life_.

 _Beautiful…._

Her gaze travelled to her one-time student. Uzumaki Naruto had been a source of conflict to her. His brazen forays into the realms belonging to Suna had infuriated as much as impressed her in his successes. Even now the puppet brigade, as a result of the Konoha Nins' efforts, was being overhauled; new life and fresh ideas were being born. Old methods were challenged and improved; the stagnation that she feared would forever remain was being scoured out.

Suna's puppetry seemed to _live again._

She smiled softly to herself. It seemed so strange; that those who dealt with death, with lifeless dolls at their command, would worry so much about life. But that was the truth about puppetry; it was giving life to the lifeless, form to the formless. It was invoking your will, and giving shape to ones determinations.

Sasori knew that, and Naruto knew it too.

* * *

Naruto kept a wary yet eager eye on Sasori. He had felt the minute the dam broke; like a switch, turning dark into light. This was Akasuna-No-Sasori; one of the greatest, if not the greatest, puppet masters to have ever walked the Elemental Lands.

And Naruto was loving every bit of their encounter.

Naruto's own chakra roared to the surface, countering the weight of Sasori's. In the background he could feel Kyuubi's chakra churning, eager to rush forwards. This time though Naruto resisted.

As with Elder Chiyo, this was more than just a battle. He needed to face Sasori, with his own skills, his own merits, and not on the backs of others.

Kyuubi's chakra churned, but to Naruto's surprise it retreated and remained passive in the background. Naruto smiled as gave a mental acknowledgement, and then he squared up against Sasori.

Sasori took another step forwards. Then he took another, and another. With each step Naruto remained calm, unmoving and unshaken. Overhead the black sand moved in lazy circles. Naruto's puppets remained on standby, heat and lightning emanating from the respective frame.

Sasori paused mid-step, no more than eight feet away. He cocked his head again and blinked slowly. His eyes swept over the puppets, past Naruto's waiting form, and all around the room, before returning to its starting point.

Again Sasori's face grew into a smile; this one wider than the last and more disconcerting.

"Clever boy." The Suna puppeteer's voice held a rapture that was as heartening as it was frightening. "You really do have an impressive array of skills, but your mind is the most amazing of all."

Sasori took another step; this time he went sideways.

"I must confess I am surprised I didn't see it sooner; then again this is what I hoped from my battle with and against you."

Sasori kept moving; Naruto kept spinning, keeping his gaze locked firmly on his opponent.

"No, this surpasses my initial hopes; when I made this challenge I had hoped to _see,_ not once did I ever expect to _learn._ Thanks to you, I can have _both_."

Sasori looked around the cave again, paying close attention to the walls.

"Your skills in puppetry are exceptional; it makes it easy for people to forget that, like your teammate, it is not your first certification." Sasori turned back to Naruto, his gaze piercing, "Afterall, Suna only recently released the minor data on puppet ranking to Konoha. You were not certified in that field, but you were certified with mastery in _Genjutsu_ , followed shortly by _Fuinjustu._ "

"People often see you utilise your sealing, with an ease attributed to your namesake; but genjutsu is where the viper makes its nest."

"So you say, yet I haven't once used genjutsu in this fight" Naruto bit back a wince as soon as the words left his mouth; Sasori chuckled given an air of disappointment.

"We both know genjutsu is more than chakra and illusions. The true art is more than smoke and mirrors; it is a state of mind, a way of life, and one that you embody so much so your subconscious actions are governed by it."

Sasori kept moving, making a circle around the blonde puppeteer. Suddenly he closed in; too quick for the alert ninja. Naruto however felt the intent a split moment before it began and the world rippled around him. Sasori stopped just short, as Naruto shifted a few feet away, his blade drawn and his Goliath close.

"We have already established that ability is space-time manipulation, much like your barrier. And like your barrier, every technique as a weakness that need to be worked around or exploited." Sasori seemed to coil like a snake, ready to strike.

"In this case it is range and boundary, more the latter than the former. The boundary applies uniformity in your mind, bringing a sense of finite in infinity.

Sasori stretched his arm out and swung wide, releasing a wave of chakra. The chakra sped off in all directions, until it crashed along the cave walls.

"Right now, the boundary walls are the very cave itself" Sasori flourished as the cave lit up in script, "-and the seals you use to supplement the technique."

"Hiding in plain sight; your first wave of chakra applied the seals over the walls, burning it into the stone. Between your puppets, your jutsu and your presence, it is no wonder the seals are overlooked; battlefield applications of genjutsu at its finest."

* * *

Elder Chiyo turned to look at the seals littering the cave, the script was extensive and for the life of her she couldn't figure out how Naruto had done it. Still, she needed to revise her estimation of Uzumaki Naruto.

He could prove to remain a powerful ally to Suna…or a dangerous adversary.

* * *

Naruto could only feel dread as Sasori unravelled his abilities. Surprise was a big part of his combat style, but that had now been stripped off him. Still he wasn't out of the fight yet.

Sasori seemed to have sensed the renewed determination; and gave an approving nod.

"Why don't we take this to the next level; first though, how about some fresh air…?"

Naruto's eyes widened while Sasori smiled maniacally. Above them the iron sand rushed around in a frenzy and coalesced into a single large mass. The effect was near instantaneous; loose bits of weapons rattled and literally flew to the large floating magnet. The pressure increased and Naruto drew his puppets close. The large mass of iron sand seemed to shiver and took on two opposing magnetic forces.

 _Iron Sand: World Method_

Naruto gasped in trepidation as the sphere bulged outwards, forming multiple layers of branching spikes. Ripples appeared all over the cave as he and his puppets shifted from spot to spot. He gasped out again, this time in pain as he lost control of his jutsu. His hair lashed out, shearing deep into the iron spikes as he dodged out of their path. Naruto glanced around and bit back a grimace; all over the cave the iron spikes had broken through the cave walls, inadvertently weakening Naruto's boundary and disabling his jutsu.

"I wonder if you can keep up, if we up the pressure" Sasori intoned as his chakra spiked again. The iron spikes doubled in rate and speed, seconds later the base caved in, turning into rubble.

Sasori remained alert, knowing his opponent was not yet out of the fight. A flicker of movement caught his attention and he was on the move!

 _Phonon Maser_

A ray of pure heat washed over his previous position; Sasori landed lightly and was about to engage when a shadow fell over him. He looked up in surprise to an Earth Dragon bearing down on him. Again he dodged, letting the jutsu crash into the ground. The Earth Dragon flowed into the ground like it was water and quickly rose again; its maw open and a flames roared outwards. Sasori hissed as he evaded and flicked his fingers; the Third Kazekage moved to intercept, his iron sand formed several rows of blades and sliced through the Earth Dragon, breaking hold of the jutsu.

Just as he made to straighten however Sasori lost control of the Third Kazekage. He turned to look and found Naruto's lightning puppet; form its fingers surged lighting chakra, running a current through the Third Kazekage, keeping it bound. Next moment the Goliath appeared and wrapped itself around the Third Kazekage, just as Naruto appeared, his chakra already pulsing.

 _Prominence._

Fire rose from the earth, consuming both puppets until nothing but ash was left.

"And now," Naruto disappeared and reappeared in an instance in front of Sasori; his hair secured the former Suna Nin while his blade sung for his exposed neck, "You fall."

Time seemed to slow as the blade inched ever closer; Then Sasori smirked.

His Akatsuki robes ripped apart as sharp white spikes shot out through them.

"No Naruto, we press on for a little more."

The white spikes ripped through his hair bindings, forcing Naruto to pull back to avoid impalement. Some of the spikes left deep scratches across his body but nothing too serious. Naruto left tracks as he slowed to a stop; he looked back at Sasori to make sense of what had happened.

"Bone?" he blurted out in surprise. His heart thudded in his chest and he grabbed his false arm in a grip so tight his fingers bled.

 _In his mind he could feel as the limb was torn off years ago. The pain as he was completely outmatched and the terror that he was soon to die._

The white bones retreated slightly and what was left of the Akatsuki robes fell to the floor. From their Naruto could make out the full view of Sasori; a long bony segmented tail whipped about behind him. Bone spikes sprouted over his knees and large scything blades over his forearms. Sharp talons grew over his fingers and toes, finally large mantis like claws extended from its back over his shoulders.

"It has been a while since I've been forced to use myself. And I have never used this version until now." Sasori commented casually as he looked over his hands, flexing the fingers and claws. "Still I have grown rather fond of this body, I am eager to see how well it works."

Sasori then reached behind for a scroll.

"You and I prize quality when it comes to our craft." As he spoke the scroll unravelled, spilling its contents into the skies. Naruto's eyes tracked each and every one with astonishment. "But I have to say that quantity can be a quality all on its own."

"Behold my greatest performance"

 _Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets_

Floating overhead was a sea of red cloaks; each one of them was a star of individual chakra signatures. One hundred puppets, one hundred former live ninjas.

Naruto assessed the situation rapidly; he didn't have as many puppets, and he was actually beginning to feel the drain in his chakra. He needed to get Sasori thoroughly engaged in the battle and then deal a decisive blow. But to do that, he needed to summon his puppets…all of them.

Shimmers appeared around him; His scorched and lightning puppets were joined by ten others.

"Twelve puppets vs one hundred" Sasori chuckled as he shook his head. "How do you hope to win?"

"No, not twelve puppets" Naruto crouched and his hair shimmered with chakra strings. His blade slid free from its sheath, "Thirteen warriors."

"Ahh. Very well then. Thirteen warriors, vs a hundred _and one!_ "

* * *

If anything the battle between Sasori and Naruto seemed to move even faster. Both masters threw themselves into the combat without reserve, determined to make their opponent submit. The puppets were a frenzy of melee.

Sasori's puppets were swarm, various weapons lashing out everywhere. Naruto's puppets though few were bit to be tougher, fight harder and last longer.

In the air his Valkyrie blitzed around in tight loops, its launchers spitting out elemental jutsus with unrelenting force. Supporting the flyer were his two bird type puppets

On the ground the slower but extremely tough frost puppet swung its great sword in swooping arcs. An area of cold constantly surrounded the puppet, freezing everything that came close and limiting their manoeuvrability.

Scorch however was the complete opposite. An aura of fire and heat surrounded the puppet, making it dangerous to approach; everything that came close either caught fire or turned to ash. The puppet itself was a whirlwind of motion, leaving behind a trail of flames and burnt out shells.

Whenever the auras of the scorch and frost puppet came into proximity anything caught in the middle was subject to violent changes in atmosphere and pressure.

His Lightning puppet was living up to its name. It too was constantly in motion, blitzing through the battlefield with static trailing in its wake. The scissor blade tore through puppets like paper, with the whip darting out and crippling more. The static and lightning that constantly surrounded it disrupted signals and made fine motor controls difficult.

His beast like puppet; the Warmonger he used against Kakashi had replaced its tuning fork weapons with saw like blades. The blades themselves constantly vibrated; as they made contact with Sasori's puppets they passed through with minimal resistance. What made the Warmonger deadly however, was its ability to pass through Naruto's other puppets aura's without effect; it like his Valkyrie was designed to switch between multiple elements, adding versatility to its savagery.

On the fringes of the battlefield were his Stalker and Banshee puppets. Their design was not meant for direct confrontation however they were useful for dropping bombs and laying traps.

The final set was his three wolf puppets; with the launchers and bladed claws and teeth they ran interference on all levels, disrupting puppet flow or mauling everything in reach.

Naruto himself wasn't idle. His body seemed to run on autopilot as his dance around the battle. His hair lashed out in offence, curled up in defence, sent out dozens of messages via chakra to his individual puppets. He was deep into his sensory capabilities; reading and predicting the flow of the battlefield, seeing the movements and positions of everything in his mind's eye and executing accordingly.

His head seemed to move in a lazy arc as a bone blade swept passed. His body responded; his hair forming sharp blades, only to be deflected by hardened bone shields.

Sasori too was physically engaged in the battle; while he wasn't as used to physically fighting alongside his puppets as Naruto was, it hadn't taken him long to adapt. Hundreds of finger bones littered the walls and floors; projectiles from Sasori, only matched by the senbon-like hairs stuck deep into stone. The air was thick with chakra, both sides completely immersed, fighting on multiple levels.

Still, the sheer weight of numbers was beginning to take its toll. Naruto had lost his Lightning and bird type puppets. Two of the wolves were gone, with the last one well on its way. The others had damage running through them. Still the bulk of Sasori's puppets littered the battlefield.

Naruto himself hadn't come out unscathed. Deep wounds and scratched littered his body, while his resistance to poisons was helping it didn't help much with the slight delirium. Sasori too was showing signs of strain and fatigue.

"I couldn't have asked for a better rival" Naruto blinked blearily, just managing to evade a stab. Sasori stumbled away, spinning round in time to deflect the return strike, both Ninjas stumbled; Naruto crashed into the floor while Sasori fell to a knee. Their puppets still fought, but the battle seemed to be winding down.

Naruto gasped for breath as he tried to focus. Blood pooled below him from his various wounds.

"You have fought well Naruto. Take pride in that." Sasori said as he rose back to his feet.

"I am not done" Naruto panted each word. His hand made contact with his blood and his chakra pulsed.

 _Fuinjutsu: Spatial Lock_

Seal lit up in his blood, spreading all over the battle area.

"Elder Chiyo! Move it now!" Naruto shouted just as his seal took hold. Sasori instinctively made to move but found himself unable. A boundary marker appeared around him.

"You can't escape." Naruto's grin looked macabre with blood colouring his teeth and chin. His eyes flashed alert. "This seal holds you in place by bending space. It doesn't last long, but its long enough for _this"_

At that Naruto brought his palms together in a thunderous clap.

 _Uzumaki Fuinjutsu: Way of Cold – Niflheim_

Sasori's eyes widened in fear everything seem to slow and stop. A chill grew in the air, followed swiftly by layers of frost and ice.

"Using chakra and fuinjutsu I can uniformly reduce the natural molecular vibrations in any given area and thus lower the temperature."

As Naruto spoke the cold carried on, covering all the exposed puppets and materials around in layers of ice and frost. The spatial lock gave out, but Sasori still found it difficult to move; his puppets stuck in the air dropped down, smashing into the ground with much of them breaking apart, only to be frozen over once again.

"And now for the finish" Naruto's hair formed handseals. The heavens lit up with arcs of lightning. "I'm sure you can guess what's about to happen, Sasori?"

The lightning flashed even harder through the darkened skies. Sasori renewed his struggles, desperate to break free. Being frozen made him a sitting duck, and from the amount of chakra he sensed, there would be no chance of survival.

"Lightning Release: Thoron!"

At the command a massive bolt of lightning tore from the skies downwards. The world lit up for a brief moment, before giving way to a thunderous explosion.

* * *

Elder Chiyo slowly opened her eyes, squinting from the glare. She straightened up and noted in surprise the barrier that had defended her. As it failed she took in the aftermath, gaping in shock.

 _Kami-Sama!_

Steam hissed all around. Superheated rocks glowed brightly; parallel to the ground had been a lake, the wall boundary had caved letting some of the water through.

Chiyo stepped downwards gingerly, unable to believe the level of damage. She then spotted a figure in the steam. As she stepped closer she got a better look.

"Uzumaki!" she hastily moved and caught the falling figure. Her eyes widened at the level of abuse his body had taken. His pulse was erratic and his breathing shallow. Her hand glowed with medical chakra and he flinched, before relaxing into its embrace.

"I'm sorry for being selfish Elder Chiyo" Naruto coughed out, delirious. Chiyo merely shook her head as she kept on.

"I could not have asked for a better send off. Thank you Uzumaki Naruto, I am proud to have witnessed this fight."

 _No more than I was to partake of it, Chiyo-Basama…_

Her eyes widened in shock at the voice. In her arms Naruto was out cold; she turned back into the steam, and there he stood.

Akasuna no Sasori, was still alive.

* * *

 _ **A.N Well, one down - the bonus chapter will be posted on Friday. i'll also cover the review points from chapter 7 then as well.**_

 _ **Again apologies for the very long wait and happy reads.**_


	10. INTROSPECTION IS HIGHLY OVERRATED

**_A.N. Hey all, as promised the bonus short chapter - normally i would stick this in my Times Before Trials shorts, but considering the subject it seemed better placed here._**

 ** _Thanks again for all your support._**

* * *

 _INTROSPECTION IS HIGHLY OVERRATED –REFLECTIONS OF THE GREATEST OF THE NINE_

 _MEMOIRES OF KURAMA_

Is it not right to conclude that I, Kyuubi, am the greatest of the Nine?

My brethren may like to believe that all are created equal, but reality proves that the difference in our powers is like the gap between the heavens and the earth. Shukaku has always chaffed under this and it is to be expected, after all he is the least of the Nine.

Even so, I have deep respect for my brethren, there is a bond that you _mon-keigh_ could never hope to fathom, not even if you had till the end of eternity could begin to grasp its mysteries.

And yet…these passed years the bond has been silent; for that I will never forgive the _humans,_ these _mon-keighs._

My father held such fascination with you; even when you could descend no lower you still managed scrape deeper into the abyss, proving you were unworthy of his admiration. At yet it persisted and endured; he placed hopes and dreams of a future in your hands.

My father only saw the good in men; since his death I have only seen your greed, corruption, darkness.

You lust for power, you covet that which is not yours and when the black fruitage is ripe you take, unbidden. You lie and steal and plot in the service of liars, stealers and plotters; is it any wonder you have not drowned in your own filth? And know that you cannot hide it from me; I can peer into the very depths and bring forth the darkness that dwells deep.

I have been likened to a force of nature; great is the expanse of my power. I do not contest this.

Legend has you believe that where there is calamity and strife, where greed has seeped to the core and the hearts of men have grown cold the presence of the Nine-tails would not be far felt. In this there is truth.

My mind searches out the roots of this darkness, the greater it is the fouler the stench.

And now you tell me. What would you do when a stench becomes too unbearable, the rancour is firmly fixed and the filth can no longer be made separate from a thing?

You would perform a cleansing, by water or by fire it matters not. If a thing cannot be cleansed then it must be done away with. I know not why I have this gift, this curse. But through it I have trudged through the very deepest of shadows in men, I know when their darkness becomes an affront to life, and so it falls on me to cleanse them when their fellows cannot, or would not.

If we follow your crude mon-keigh beliefs that might is right, then my actions are justified.

Even if you say otherwise I will lose no sleep. What I will never allow is that darkness to spread, to infect the sanctity of what my father was determined to build.

You humans stole my brethren; one by one we were sought out and bound, locked away and used to justify your meaningless wars. As each day went by my loathing for your kind grew.

My father has never been wrong, but in you, I am willing to believe he was misguided.

And yet….

There are times where you _mon-keigh_ show exceptional acts of kindness, valour and dignity. You put yourselves in harm's way for the safety and sanctity of those you care for. You even go as far as laying down your very lives, often in a slim chance that it makes a difference.

I have never met a species so contradictory. It boggles the mind.

I hold the First and the Fourth Hokage's in contempt. I hold their wives in contempt. And yet, Mito sacrificed herself for her husband and the people she called family, even now as generations prove they are unworthy of her recognition. The Fourth and the Uzumaki spawn gave everything up, shielding their offspring with their very lives, and using their very essence as the price of my bindings. All for a village and a vague hope, a false dream.

Mankind is a plague upon the world, and yet my father says there is hope in men. He said in time we may find one that would prove this truth and bring my brethren together.

You, Uzumaki Naruto are **_not_** this one.

You as well still suffer the frailties and failings that plague your kind. Yet there is courage and strength in you. You are not noble, but there is a subtle…elegance, or grace in your approach. You are efficient and quietly ruthless, yet more so to yourself than your rivals or enemies. And for all your pragmatism you at heart are a hoper, a dreamer.

There is darkness in you, yet it is tightly leashed….no not leashed. You are at peace with your demons, you make no apologies for it and you do not deny it. It has helped shape your views on the world, your actions and interactions therein.

You are no child of light, yet the darkness itself holds no claim to you. You exist somewhere between what is light and dark, the realm of many shadows.

I have come to….tolerate our mutual existence.

You respect and fear my wrath, as you should, yet you do not bend subserviently; you have more pride than that. You do not **take** what is not yours and you do not expect it to be given either. In turn I will acknowledge your meagre strength and admit that you can grow further still.

For a long time I saw the whole world of men as blight, and in many ways it has yet to prove me wrong. My father claimed someday there will be one to lead us to the light.

You Uzumaki Naruto in my eyes are not that light; but you may just be a step in that direction.

And in some ways, I think I may just appreciate that more.

* * *

 _ **A.N. Hope you enjoyed that - this time i only have one question it seems.**_

 _ **Guest, Chapter 8 - If you remember from the previous chapter, Naruto had been told Kankuro had been given something specifically meant for him. And knowing it was from Sasori, he wasn't just going to run off, anger or no. Also it's generally not advisable to randomly send out your scouts or ninjas when your Kage was literally body snatched from your village. Hope that helps.**_

 _ **Thanks everyone else and catch up with you soon.**_


	11. Nothing is Ever Easy

_**Greetings and Salutations - The Story is not Dead**_

 _ **I'm really sorry for the long wait, but some good news - my home is 90% sorted. Fully financed and most things squared off, only minor touches and then i move in. it's played havoc with my social life and my writing. Now though things are good enough i can resume (famous last words)**_

 ** _i just want to say thanks again for all the patience and support, it really does mean a lot. As usual critiques and comments are welcome, help me improve. I'll cover any queries at the end._**

 ** _Onwards to Glory!_**

* * *

While Naruto had swept off with Temari and Shizune off the support team carried on and made it to Suna, though a few had choice words for the blonde Jinchuriki.

"Naruto-yarou!" Kiba swore out as they raced out of Suna and further into the desert. "I'm gonna wring his neck when I catch up to him."

Giggling softly to his side was Hinata; the gentle sound reached his ears and he flushed in embarrassment, more so when Akamaru joined in with his barks.

Kiba huffed and turned away; Hinata continued to smile at his attitude. Kiba had been very earnest that nothing would happen to Shizune, more like he had sworn to Tsunade-Sama that he would allow nothing to harm her attendant.

And Naruto swept her off without as much as a word. Kiba's wounded pride demanded retribution.

On the other side a figure swept passed, a faint buzzing echoing around him.

"Akamaru, do you still have the scent?" the calm expressionless tone of Shino carried over to the canine. With a sharp bark Akamaru carried forward to lead the way.

"Oi Shino! What's that supposed to mean?" Kiba barked out at his teammate. To all else there seemed little reason for the remark. Team Eight however had been together for just over three years, they had spent time together and grown close enough to read each other. There was a mocking inflection when Shino said 'you', one that Kiba had little trouble sniffing out.

Which in itself was another mockery; Shino was near impossible to sniff out, most times they caught on only because he wanted them to.

"Hearing you plot the various ways you would bludgeon, choke, shred and wail on Uzumaki was indeed riveting. I thought it best to let you carry on and have Akamaru get to the business of making your fantasy…planning a reality."

"Now you're just being patronising" The mulish air around the Inuzuka sent Hinata into a giggling fit again.

Shino gave the faintest of smiles and pushed on, his team following close behind.

"How much farther?"

"Not far now" Kiba replied, the mirth shifting to a more serious outlook. "The area is clear for miles around; I'm not picking up any strange scents." Akamaru barked in agreement.

"At this pace we should link up in thirty minutes. We still have a lot of ground to cover" Kiba finished. Shino nodded at the assessment. With burst of chakra the three picked up the pace again.

 _Hang in there, Naruto._

* * *

Sakura gaze narrowed as she evaded yet another set of exploding clay figurines. The earth around her rumbled to life, shifting and changing shapes to deflect the blasts away from her; more clumps of earth rose before breaking down and firing shards rapidly at the airborne Deidara.

If there was any consolation, he was just as frustrated as she was.

Another earth pillar rose to sky, Sakura perch firmly on the top. The side rippled and more earth shards fired at Deidara. With a contemptuous scoff he swooped by, dropping several clay explosives. The explosives went off, fracturing the pillar. Sakura reacted quickly; she slid down the side of the pillar, punching large chunks at her opponent. Another smaller pillar rose from the ground, Sakura then jumped from the crumbling one, using her chakra to keep her grip.

She cast a dark look at the smirking Akatsuki-Nin, wishing to immolate him with her gaze.

 _Kaka-Sensei, whatever you're doing, better make it fast!_

She snarled as more clay explosives hurled at her position. Her chakra rippled and she phased through the earth pillar, coming out the other side. Then she pushed off, just as the bombs made contact; the pillar shattered, sending rock and shrapnel everywhere. Sakura paid no attention to the bruises and cuts; the dust was also equally a minor inconvenience. Her gaze was focused squarely on Deidara; his every move, his every action, every shift, all of it she paid close attention to.

So, it was with relief when she noticed a subtle disturbance growing around Deidara. By the time the mad bomber had noticed it had already grown. To Sakura, the look of distress was sweet victory.

 _About time Sensei!_

* * *

The fully matured Sharingan was an awesome tool, capable of many feats, but only as the wielder had the skill and fortitude to master its secrets. The Mangekyou Sharingan was a league and required greater levels of skill and fortitude.

Both of which Hatake Kakashi had in spades; what he lacked however was a vast chakra pool, and an Uchiha body to minimise the strain.

So activating his Mangekyou took time, and using his actual ability 'Kamui' took even more time and a chunk out of his chakra.

Of course it didn't help that he had a constantly active Sharingan, draining his chakra even with the eye closed, actively processing information with the Sharingan made the drain even worse.

Still, a massive chakra pool was not the be all and end all. Chakra was made up of physical energy 'Yang' and spiritual energies 'Yin'.

Yang was developed with rigorous martial conditioning; one of the benefits of having Might Guy as a friend meant you became naturally conditioned.

Yin focused on mental development, experiences and knowledge. Kakashi had joined the ranks of Jonin at a very young age. His service record was near impeccable and he was one of if not the longest serving active Jonin in the village. Add to that a Sharingan which processed untold amounts of jutsus, chakra flows and patterns.

What he may have lacked in raw quantity, he made up for in pure _potency._

Kakashi could feel his Mangekyou thrumming with his chakra; he could feel his body and the eye clashing and straining against each other as the jutsu slowly took shape. It was always a scary moment; there was a risk of rejection and backfire, causing the technique to simply fail or ruin his body so completely death would be his only escape.

A hint of relief swept through him as conflict died low, never disappearing but muted, and the jutsu fully manifested. To Kakashi the jutsu was akin to a black hole, creating a distortion in space capable of sucking anything that is in line of sight or he has specifically targeted, regardless of whatever protections or barrier jutsus that have been placed. The borders of the jutsu could also be extended; increasing the radius and thus what could be pulled in. escape was extremely difficult at best and impossible at worst.

Kakashi lifted his head. His right eye was closed, not necessary for the time being. His left eye, the Mangekyou spun lazy circles and locked on tight to its target. Kakashi exhaled and observed as the space around Deidara _bent_ against his will.

 _Kamui (Authority of the Gods)_

* * *

"How predictable" Deidara scoffed derisively as another pillar seemed to sprout from the ground. With it was another round of evade the earth shards and then counter. It had been interesting the first few times but now it was getting old. Still she was skilled enough to go head to head against him and he hadn't been able to land a decisive blow, another surprise to him.

Perhaps it had to do with the earnest effort in her eyes, the spark of determination and the explosive fury in her attacks. If nothing else he was very entertained, enough that he had been willing to keep up the game.

Now though he was getting bored.

The explosives he launched at the pillar were stronger than his previous batch. It was amusing watching her phase through the pillar and fling herself away, but it didn't change much. Still her effort was commendable and she only had minor scraps

His hand stretched outwards, clay moulding into shape.

The air pulsed; the hairs on his spine tingled.

A distortion appeared over his chest to his alarm. He made to speak but words failed as the pain began to hit. As he strained against the distortion his eyes frantically cast around, until it finally landed on a now exposed Kakashi.

Deidara bit his lip and cursed himself for his incompetence. He had be suckered in; he spent so much time and focus on his game with the pink haired girl he completely forgot all about Hatake Kakashi.

He gasped again in pain; the price for his failure.

He could see on Kakashi the strain at maintain hold of the jutsu. Still it was best he moved, already his ribs was under a lot of pressure. Urging his clay bird he slowly pulled free from the vortex. Inch by inch he felt it release some of its hold, but it wasn't nearly enough. With gritted teeth he brought up his left hand and hurled a clay lump at Kakashi. Mid-flight the clay shaped into a small bird and sped towards the stationary Jonin.

Kakashi made to abort when a globule of water shot from the side at the clay bird. The bird slowed as it sunk into the water; seconds later an earth dragon grew out and swallowed the water globule along with the clay bird, before sinking deep into the earth. To his right he took note of Sakura; her arm was outstretched and chakra pulsed lively around her fingers.

Still, the damage had been done. Kakashi watched as Deidara exploited the sudden frailty in his technique and quickly broke free, minus one arm. A sudden flare of chakra echoed beside Kakashi and a pink blur hurled passed him into the air.

 _Ninjutsu…no, Genjutsu most likely._

Deidara scoffed as the blur sped for him; we contemptuous ease he tore apart the illusion in front and quickly spun round, facing the surprised Sakura. From the look on her face she hadn't expected him to so quickly and easily pierce the veil of her illusion and was now completely wide open.

"Pathetic" Sakura flinched at the acid in his tones, and again as a blow struck her in the chest. She coughed out and tried to grab hold of the arm, but Deidara's clay drifted just out of reach. She then noticed the heavy feeling on her chest.

Stuck to her was a handful of exploding clay. Deidara smirked as his chakra pulsed.

 _Katsu!_

"Sakura!" Kakashi roared out, even as her scream was cut off by the explosion. Kakashi tried vainly to track her fall, and then he turned his fury towards Deidara who merely sneered back at the irate Jonin.

 _Kage Bunshin…Dispel!_

Deidara's spine tingled with an oppressive feeling. His bird dipped slightly as a sudden weight materialised behind him. In one swift motion his legs were taken out from under him. In another his face rang out with a powerful blow, almost blacking out.

Sakura panted as she landed the blow. Following the motion she slid down the side of the clay bird.

 _Chakra Scalpel_

Her left hand glowed with chakra as she tore great rents through the bird. Once she got to the bottom she pushed off towards the tail; with a quick spin she sliced through and free Gaara, securing his body with her legs. Immediately both began freefalling down towards the ground.

Deidara swore in rage and managed to manoeuvre his badly damaged bird; his hand came up and he began moulding his explosive clay.

 _Lightning Release: Shuriken Storm._

Deidara paused as multiple objects, flashing intermittently, sped for him. With a quick replacement he abandoned the damaged bird, watching dispassionately as it was destroyed by lightning infused shurikens.

On the ground another Kage Bunshin of Sakura positioned itself underneath the falling original and ran through seals. The earth rumbled again as slabs shot upwards on either side, one after the other. Sakura released her leg hold and secured Gaara's body firmly in her arms. She the rotated in the air; as the first slab reached her she lightly made contact, and with a burst of chakra she pushed off. She ricocheted off the slabs until she came to the ground right beside her sensei.

"You….you wretched pests" Deidara hissed out as he crouched on the side of a tree. The loss of his right arm was excruciating, but the damage to his pride was even more so. His chakra grew more menacing; Kakashi narrowed his gaze as his Sharingan picked up the shift and reacted accordingly. Lightning arced slowed around him, the greatest activity from his hands. Beside him Sakura tensed openly and shifted her stance. The earth around Gaara's body rumbled and he sunk several inches; the earth hardened around him, locking him in place.

Both sides stood tense, waiting for the spark.

The explosion was sudden, unexpected. Both sides jerked and looked to the horizon, realisation hit when they took in the direction. Overheard the skies darkened ominously. Lightning flashed, multiple times.

 _Naruto…!_

Kakashi looked on in amazement; the chakra in the storm was immense. Deidara to seemed to realise, despite the scowl his eyes were alight with excitement and approval.

"What magnificent expression of art. You are lucky to be party to it Sasori-Dana" The envy was clear in his voice as the lightning crashed into the earth.

The skies cleared. An emotion flashed briefly through Deidara's eyes. Then he turn back towards Gaara and the rest of team seven. The extraction was not complete, but he was going up against Kakashi and the girl was too bad either.

"Well, there will be another day." Deidara brought his remaining had up and form a seal, "until then" with that and a surge of chakra he was gone.

Kakashi made a cursory glance around and gave a soft sigh of relief. There was a strong urge to slump but he resisted. Sakura threw a telling glance his was but politely said nothing. The earth gave way as she pulled up Gaara's still form.

"His pulse is slow. His breathing seems fine, but his chakra levels are dangerously diminished. We need to regroup"

Kakashi nodded at the diagnosis. Sakura picked up the Kage and then the sped off through the trees.

 _Naruto, I hope you are okay…_

* * *

"Sasori…." The call was soft, so _vulnerable,_ it was almost alien.

Chiyo aged eyes greedily drank in the sight of her grandson. Emotions welled up and warred within her.

"Chiyo-Baasama" her breath hitched; something had shifted in Sasori. There was a _hint_ of life, replacing his usual bland tones. Even the light in his eyes seemed to have a different shine.

Slowly the former Suna Nin ambled towards them, Elder Chiyo cradled Naruto's unconscious form; her hand seemed to have a mind of its own, gently brushing his golden and red tinged locks.

"It is strange to see one of the Honoured Siblings, the Legendary Chiyo of the Shifting Sands no less, look so nervous" Sasori commented as he came within striking range.

"One can never be too careful, and caution is the greatest tool a ninja could ever have. I taught you as much" Chiyo muttered softly, willing her hand to still. Her lips grew purse at the sudden chuckle from Sasori. She huffed when he showed no sign of stopping.

"Indeed, one of many" He finally stopped and with some effort crouched, barely a foot away from them.

"Well you can relax Baasama. I have no further agenda at the moment, and I very much doubt I could continue if I wanted to" with a subtle shift his tattered robes came free at one shoulder. Elder Chiyo gasped at the extent of the damage;

The bones of the Kaguya were known for their resilience. When Sasori had worked on his conversion he had been careful to preserve as much of the traits, going as far as to raid Mizugakure to acquire data on the Kaguya's and any bodies that were not destroyed. Raiding several of Orochimaru's bases was particularly helpful considering the extensive studies done by the Sannin.

The body structure however was so battered Chiyo couldn't understand how he was still alive, let alone moving. Fractures littered the entirety of the chest, with sections completely burned out or sheared off. On the life side of his chest, the compartment that held the 'core' of his being fared better, however Chiyo noticed a small trail of blood, running through the cracks. A further glance showed several micro fractures across the core and even as she strained the sound seemed off.

"Sasori-"Seeing the widening of her gaze he nodded.

"Ah, Right now my chakra is holding my form together, the puppets primary core is damaged but the bone marrows are fine. I may be able to fix this body but without the core to speed things it will take time and limit my combat options."

"And that is if my own core holds out, who's to know for sure."

Sasori looked up into the sky and leaned back on his hands. Strangely he only felt satisfaction; after everything he had done to prepare Naruto for this fight, he had gotten more from it than he ever predicted. No, he got more than he ever _dared to dream._

 _True art is more than eternal. The Journey is just as true as the destination. The paths we take affect our perception and shape our reality. The past, the present and the future, all shaped Art._

 _True Art was Eternal, ever growing, ever shaping, daring to achieve, and daring to be._

 _Transient, yet Constant. Sudden, yet Gradual. But always Dynamic…._

The clouds parted, revealing more of the midday sun. Sasori closed his eyes and imagined the feel of the rays on his face, the soft wind, if there was any, brushing over his exposed frame.

"You know I cannot just let you leave" He turned towards his grandmother. Despite the hitch in her words there was also resolve, born from decades of hardship and determination.

"You could try to fight me, and I may die in the attempt. Or you could be throwing your life away." A light breeze blew in-between them.

Chiyo kept neutral as her mind whirled in activity. Despite the damage he had taken, she could tell her grandson would not go quietly. Sasori had long surpassed her craft and skills, and as shocking and abhorrent his human puppets were, they were also radical and exciting.

And in her heart…at the end of the day, she didn't want to fight him, she couldn't fight him.

Sasori seemed to sense the shift in her; his eyes closed and he sighed softly.

"You always were sentimental, Baasama. But only at the oddest to times and for the wrong reasons."

Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I know Sasori…and forgive me." the later was a soft plea.

Sasori chuckled again, this time the sound seemed to warm an old heart. Her hand reached for his face, and he didn't pull away. Her heart beat was loud to her as her fingers grew closer, yearning to run across the false face.

Inch by inch they move.

A loud _pulse_ stopped them cold.

* * *

 _ **A.N. Hey again and another chapter down - this one was short to get me back in the mental space and cover beyond Naruto's fight.**_

 _ **From the regulars; Scarease, xDarklightx, RamenKinght, Guest (i think its the same one, chapter 8?), s.k.f.f.f, Jojo - thanks for the reviews and support, always keeps me pumped.**_

 _ **New faces i think - ScaletRoofs, SarahAshlyn, sarutobi gk, New Guest, JP 13 - welcome to the family, hope to keep up the good content.**_

 _ **Seta88 - as always taking me to task, much respect for you - i see Suna's action as throw away knowledge; yes Konoha doesn't need it and it is mostly pointless, and regardless that they are allies, defeat still smells rotten and sometimes you can only afford to be petty...in any form. Also when you look at Suna puppetry and compare to Naruto's you see how far removed they are from each other, making the document next to worthless, but in the eyes of politics tradeable.**_

 _ **As per my descriptions, i can only promise to work better on those. let me know if you spot anything else and thanks again.**_

 _ **I think i got everyone, stay tuned for more content.**_


	12. I Know My Path

_**A.N. Welcome to another chapter and a few quick points:**_

 _ **I should have done this back in Chapter 9 &10, but better late than never - I want to give a special thanks to Adrian Skywalker; he is the real inspiration behind the rabbit summons. Go check out his stories if you haven't.**_

 _ **Also i missed out a guest in chapter 9 - i'll answer below.**_

 _ **Onwards to Glory**_

* * *

There are many ways to describe moments of dread – civilians whisper of fingers on their spine, warriors muttered of changes in the air, chill in the winds.

For ninjas; it was the absence that was most telling. A build of pressure is expected, they train their whole lives and picking up on the subtleties was child's play for veterans. But in the moment, that one single moment there is nothing.

 _Nothing…._

The greater the sensation; the greater the feeling of _nothing,_ the more dire the situation was. And at that moment, the world seemed to be consumed by an all-encompassing sense of _nothing!_

Sasori was the first to act.

Two bone spikes popped loose; with a sharp downwards thrust he pinned Naruto to the ground. Half a second later he had Elder Chiyo in a tight grip and leapt backwards.

"Sasori!" she gasped out as they tumbled ungracefully. She winced as various bruises and aches called for attention, but hastily put that behind as she frantically looked over her grandson. With some relief she watched as his body mechanically rose, though much slower than she liked.

"…That was painful" His bland voice carried over to her as he rose to his feet. More cracks appeared across his chest, some traveling as far as his face "relatively speaking that is."

"Baasama, you might want to get ready" Sasori called out as he retrieved two more scrolls. His gaze remained fixed on Naruto's body. While he looked motionless, the cracks on Sasori's face suggested otherwise. Whilst pulling Chiyo away he had barely managed to avoid a blow poised to decapitate both of them. The force behind it was staggering, more so than anything he had witnessed in their fight.

The bones pinning Naruto to the ground began to creak and shake. Cracks appeared across its surface.

Then the pulses began again, each time more powerful than the last.

"Sasori" Elder Chiyo called out with a firm voice. Surrounding her was her ten puppets; the reason for her fame. Sasori nodded and unsealed the contents of his scrolls.

Just in time to hear the roar, and feel the wash of raw power.

* * *

Naruto's eyes shot wide open and he gave a soundless scream. Seconds later he was overrun by primal energy; Kyuubi's chakra swarmed over him, reducing his intellect to the whims of the Nine-Tails. Chakra bubbled and his hair whipped around erratically. The orange-red streaks of hair began glowing ominously. Much of Naruto's face became concealed as the hair took shape; two glowing orbs appeared, along with a maw filled with razor sharp hair parading as teeth.

With another roar both Suna Nins knew; the Kyuubi was in control.

The very earth cracked and shook as Kyuubi lurched forwards. Raw chakra formed an oversized limb in place of the damaged one, and headed straight for Elder Chiyo. Chiyo startled at the speed and could barely mount a defence. Suddenly one of her puppet lurched outside her control; the female frame puppet with two broadswords intercepted the Kyuubi controlled Naruto and lashed out with one of its blades. The sword parted the air, streaming for his face when it bounced off a veritable wall of raw chakra. Kyuubi then took a swipe at the off kilter puppet, only to be blindsided by Sasori. Despite the cracks still on the bone body, Sasori moved into an offensive; a bone dagger formed in his hand and he lashed out with multiple strikes towards Naruto's torso.

A smirk appeared on Kyuubi's face, sending warning bells ringing in Elder Chiyo's mind. She snapped into motion but it was already futile.

In a show of flexibility, Kyuubi evaded the rapid strikes and a clawed hand snatched hold of the offending limb. Seconds later, red raw chains of chakra manifested, wrapping securely around Sasori.

 _Subjugation_

The world came out with a guttural snarl. The red chains thrummed violently as lightning and power arced through them. Sasori's body jerked and shuddered erratically, the cries of 'Sasori!' echoing from Elder Chiyo as her puppets came to bare. The kyuubi only smiled menacingly as his hair struck out against the puppets. Meanwhile the lightning attack continued on Sasori, burn marks etching their way across his bound frame. Kyuubi then squeezed his hand, splintering Sasori's bone wrist; the chains then tightened, further causing damage across the body.

All through this Sasori never said a word, no cries of pain, and no snarls of rage. Kyuubi's smile faded, replaced with a sneer. Increasing the tension, Sasori's chest groaned pathetically, before suddenly caving in.

"Sasori!" Elder Chiyo screamed in anguish, her puppets doubling their discordant assault. Sasori slumped and the chains slowly dragged free across the battered frame. The Kyuubi then turned its full attention to the elderly puppeteer; its eyes seemed to drag slowly, from the downed Sasori to the furious Elder.

Sasori's frame exploded violently.

Chiyo gasped in shock, and instinctively brought her right arm up. Panels opened outwards with a rush of chakra and formed a shield, just in time to deflect and block shards of bone and the shockwave of the blast. Kyuubi gave a sharp cry but it was lost in the noise, in a blur of red chakra it darted out of the epicentre. Chiyo noted the torn rags that form Naruto's clothes; form the exposed sections she could see the scale of damage caused by Sasori; blood dripped freely and in several places Naruto was pierced by bone shards.

Then to her immense shock the damage began healing at a rapid pace, the shards were forced out before the wounds sealed up, much of them not leaving so much as a mark. All the while Naruto's hair whipped around in a continued state of frenzy; the hair that formed Kyuubi's face pulsed with more chakra and the menace seemed to only grow.

Chiyo's chakra pulsed in return and her ten puppets circled her, ready for the offensive.

The grin returned on the Kyuubi's face. And then it was moving!

Chiyo traced the motions and her fingers moved accordingly. Two of her puppets darted forwards; a red faced puppet pulled ahead and then its face seemed to jut out of its casing. Four large blades of chakra then appeared and began spinning loudly. The second puppet then extended it hand on a chain and gripped the first. It spun the red faced saw puppet overhead before sending it straight at Kyuubi. The chakra saw clashed with Kyuubi's chakra aura; for what seemed like an eternity the two energies clashed.

Then the saw puppet broke through slightly.

Kyuubi immediately spun out of reach, in the same motion a paw of raw chakra formed and ripped the chest of the saw puppet, all the way up towards the exposed face.

Not once did the Kyuubi break stride as it closed the distance.

Chiyo discarded the critically damaged puppet and moved the others. The female puppet and a blue faced puppet moved up. The broadswords in the female puppets hands became vibrating at high frequencies; Kyuubi's hair lashed out, determined to overrun the new threats, but the strands were cut down with ease.

The female puppet stepped forwards for a scissor blow, only for Kyuubi to halt is charge and bend backwards st the waste. Before it could lash out the blue face puppet appeared at the left side; its mouth opened and a torrent of flames burst free.

The Kyuubi was undeterred. Using the hair as a platform it pushed itself to the right. Naruto's body spun upright as Kyuubi then shaped the hair into two large hands. More chakra surged as the hands came together in a thunder clap.

The very earth around the Kyuubi collapsed and disintegrated. A massive shockwave sped outwards, annihilating the flames and sending the puppets and their wielder flying.

Chiyo felt like a ragdoll as she was bounced and dragged across the floor by the shockwave. She couldn't even cry out from the pain, the wind had been completely knocked out of her. For the most part she hadn't broken anything, although from the way her hip felt she hadn't exactly survived unscathed. Gingerly she rose to her feet and pursed her lips. Her fingers flickered and connected to the nine-no, eight puppets that survived. One of her puppet; the one with red markings and a Kanji for "Dharma" had ended being impaled by several branches and crushed underneath broken trees and rocks. Chiyo lamented the loss, it had been part of a triad; without all three she couldn't utilise their unique jutsu.

She gripped her sore side and prepared for the next onslaught. The Kyuubi seemed content to stand and survey the destruction it caused. Naruto's head cocked oddly as the hair forming Kyuubi's face writhed. Chiyo's eyes widened as she felt the pressure continue to rise.

Then it widened in alarm as a second tail began to slowly form.

Suddenly Naruto's body jerked; Kyuubi wailed in pain and began thrashing around. Lightning chakra surged through him and the thrashing grew worse. Chiyo shifted and narrowed an eye, she could just make out to long and sturdy cables, one sticking through the left shoulder and the other in the mechanical components of the right arm.

Then Naruto suddenly dropped to one knee. The cables pulled taunt arching his back. Another blow swiped the back of his head. Chiyo then made out the figure behind him, her heart filled with wonder and elation.

"Sasori…."

* * *

Sasori knew he was being reckless. His earlier fight with Naruto had caused damage to his life support casing. The seals still held but it was like playing with a six-sided dice, with no options but to roll sixes. Every. Single. Time.

At any point, he could simply cease to be…..

 _And damned if I'm not a little bit curious now._

His chakra surged and more lightning arced through Naruto, dropping his second knee. The hair writhed once more and shifted; forming another face to get a glimpse of Kyuubi's attacker. Sasori wished he could smirk properly at the blatant fury and appraisal.

His body made from Kimimaro had been nice while it lasted, but needs must. This one though did make use of some of the reinforced bones to make it light but much stronger, and better at channelling his chakra.

The lower half incorporated a digitigrade design, giving even greater jumping and motion power. The torso was mostly unchanged; his core encased on the left side. The biggest difference was his arms; just below the elbow the forearm was taken almost completely by scorpion pincers, capable of gripping, crushing or with the proper chakra application slashing and cutting through his intended target. Finally sprouting from his back, in between the shoulder blade were the two thick cables on separate rolls for independent use, in a similar pattern to a two tailed scorpion.

It always paid to have a back-up.

Sasori watched briefly as the Kyuubi struggled from his grip. The growls were growing more menacing and the chakra shroud thickened. Raw Biju energy began travelling up his cables and he could see the components in Naruto's right arm breaking under the sheer weight of power. Sasori narrowed his gaze and moved into action.

Chakra thrummed as he gave another blow to the back of Naruto's head. Then, the cables flexed and in a feat of strength lifted him up and over Sasori. Sasori spun one-eighty degrees and without a word slammed Naruto's body face first into the earth

His pincers clicked multiple times before opening fully. Inside were multiple concealed weapon ports. Chakra surged and immediately a high pressure sound wave battered Naruto's body into the ground. The screech of pain was lost in the sound waves. Kyuubi thrashed as best he could but Sasori was unrelenting in the assault.

So consumed was Sasori in his attempts to beat down the Kyuubi, he failed to notice the figure speeding towards him.

 _SHANAROOO!_

The rumbling of earth was the first warning to Elder Chiyo. Then a pink blur appeared five feet away from Sasori. The earth shifted around the figure, rising and forming a fist, cocked for a sure strike.

"Sakura! No, don't!" The call came out to late. The earth fist sped unerringly and slammed into Sasori. The blow carried him off Naruto, causing a body to still.

Elder Chiyo groan in frustration and a hint of relief. If Sakura was present, Kakashi wasn't far off. The only problem was getting them to stand down long enough, not kill Sasori, and convince them to help stop the Biju wearing their teammate's skin.

Looking back at the downed Jinchuriki, she spotted the second tail, still bubbling to life but at a slower pace. She steeled herself and turned towards the scuffle between Sakura and an irritated Sasori. Her keen gaze found Kakashi; the Jonin was coming in hard on Sasori's blind side. Suddenly two figures had Kakashi's arms chained on either side; the Jonin was brought to his knees, his back was arched as a third wrapped another chain around his neck and pulled.

"Sasori!" Elder Chiyo called out in a stern voice. With his attention focused on her she carried on, "We have no time for you to indulge! Sakura! Kakashi! The Uzumaki boy is losing control, if you have no desire to see this pass then you will assist us now." With that she sent Sasori a sharp look and expectant nod.

Sasori was unnaturally still, much to the discomfort of Kakashi and the nervousness of Sakura. His head then cocked as if considering his grandmothers words.

A ghost of a smile met an infuriated glare. A mocking smile was greeted with an eye twitch and a wrathful glare.

Sasori chuckled at the absurdity of his behaviour and slowly commanded the release of Kakashi. All four drew up, some more reluctant than others as the faced the imminent threat of Kyuubi.

* * *

The Konoha Jonin gave wary glances but Sasori paid it little attention, turning back to the struggling Jinchuriki. It was times like these that he somewhat cursed his puppet body, faking expressions wasn't hard, but the disparity with what he was feeling, and what he was expressing was now irritation. His features suddenly felt wooden and unresponsive.

Thought for another day.

Meanwhile Sasori focused on the still struggling Jinchuriki. Whilst they were all stood 'looking iconic' Sakura at least had the good sense to form more of her trademark earth arms to restrain Naruto's body. Sasori approved of her forethought, even if it was doomed to failure, by the way the arms were already crumbling.

"I wouldn't have imagined it would take this long for the Kyuubi to recover" Elder Chiyo mused, "The damage Uzumaki-Child sustained must have been more than significant. The second tail is only half manifested."

"I know someone is going to explain all this to me" Sakura grumbled, a sheen of sweat gathered on her brow. She had an idea; she wasn't Tsunade-Sama's student for nothing, however there were pieces missing.

 _I am not the most liked in the village, maybe you know or maybe you don't. But the Sandaime is like a grandfather to me, he sponsored my application, took care of me as best he could and would always tell me stories. He was there for me when I needed a leader and there when I needed a guide_

Sakura narrowed her gaze at the memory; The Sandaime, Kyuubi, Konoha, Naruto, and even Chiyo? No, not Chiyo. But somehow there was a connection, between the Kyuubi and Naruto. And somehow it was a closed open secret.

She'd beat the answers out of her team later; right now Naruto or Kyuubi, or something was going wild and they needed to restrain him.

"For now I can just manage to hold back the Biju's chakra". All eyes turned to Sasori. "But unless we can fully suppress it then it is a wasted effort."

As if to emphasize the point the Biju chakra bubbled violently and Sasori twitched, as if hit. Slowly his hands came together and the area was awash with chakra. The ground around Naruto pitted and cracked; five figures slowly rose, surrounding the struggling Jinchuriki. Their hands were held in seals and chakra wove around them in a storm.

The figures were non-descript with simple white robes and cowls; their faces were concealed behind large paper scripts. The three around Sasori bore the same features.

With a flick the three puppets moved off and joined the other five; bodies shifted as they encircled Naruto and the chakra storm grew.

"Kami-Sama" Kakashi breathed as his Sharingan revealed just what was happening.

Kyuubi's chakra was an order of magnitude greater than anything they had at present. It was denser and had more volume and capacity. So holding it back was like holding back a waterfall of acid.

Sasori however was holding back the tide, not completely but Kakashi could see a vast amount of 'blue' chakra choking the raw 'red' of Kyuubi. The chakra was more than even what he had seen Naruto ever expend, certainly more than Sasori should have been capable of.

The eight human puppets were the key. Somehow Sasori had managed to link them together and draw and generate their chakra in unison. What's more the chakra created was more than the sum of each one individually.

Kakashi upped the threat level of the former Suna Puppeteer in his mind.

* * *

Suddenly, on one of the puppets the paper script turned black. The puppets shuddered then collapsed, completely spent.

Sasori hissed as his chakra took a dive. The second tail was now fully formed, with it the chances of slowing Naruto down were disappearing quickly.

Kyuubi sneered at the Ninjas and took a menacing step forwards. Its eyes tracked each one and came to a stop on Kakashi. The Biju threw a look of such loathing at the Sharingan the Jonin had to take a step back.

Suddenly Kakashi's head was off his shoulders.

Kyuubi looked at the surprised expression in contempt; he crushed the head and flung the broken remains at Sakura, the pieces shifting mid-flight to the broken head of a puppet. Behind Kyuubi Kakashi reappeared. His hands a few feet apart from each other and had lighting chakra arcing between them.

Kyuubi hissed at the current and struck out blindly. Kakashi moved swiftly and was replaced by Sasori. The puppeteer struck with the blunt edge of his pincer, knocking Naruto's body over. Kakashi quickly fished out a seal tag and made to place it on Naruto. Kyuubi's chakra pulsed; a paw of raw chakra form and gripped the ground several feet away, like an elastic Naruto's body away from Kakashi and tumbled to his feet…

Only to fall prey to Elder Chiyo's puppets. Running gambit in-between them was Sakura, throwing up walls and launching earth fists.

The tension continued to rise as the more time passed, the more Sasori's puppets began to fail and the more deadly Kyuubi's chakra became.

Kyuubi pulled back on its assault and gave a haunting smile; a third tail began bubbling slowly.

"Shimata!" Kakashi muttered. He took several steadying breaths and prepared himself. His hands fell into seal, just over his Sharingan.

"Sensei?" Sakura looked worried. She hand left her defensive stance but the strain of battle was taking its toll.

"We have no choice, we cannot let him continue growing more powerful" Kakashi's voice brooked no arguments. He turned towards Sasori and Elder Chiyo "Can you buy more time?"

Elder Chiyo nodded resolutely and stepped forwards. Sasori paid the Jonin no attention as he pulled his puppet batteries to his side. Anticipation filled the air as the third tailed neared completion.

Everything stopped. The sunrays splintered through the clouds. The world's heartbeat sang.

Kyuubi took a step forwards, and instantly manacles, connected by golden chakra appeared on his wrists, legs, and neck.

* * *

"Yare yare. To think you would get an old one like me to come out and stop this unruliness of yours, have you no pity on these ancient limbs of mine" All eyes turned to the new speaker.

All eyes looked downwards; sitting on its haunches was a very old lagomorph.

Its fur had more of a dull silver sheen than the pure white it must have been. Its ears dropped backwards on its scalp and long eyebrows and beard trailed its face. In the grasp of its right paw was a rough oval head walking staff. Despite the physical age, blazing silver orbs told of awareness and vigour paired with wisdom, a deadly combination

With an aged groan it roused up and took a single step forwards. The next moment Naruto was doubled over.

The ancient lagomorph let inertia carry his blow. With a quick spin he struck out with a vicious kick, knocking Naruto to the left. With a second step he was on the Jinchuriki's arm, tracing the manacles. Slowly each one lit up and the chakra connecting them strengthened. Each time Kyuubi tried to strike the lagomorph simply faded in a step and reappeared, connecting the chakras and striking with precision.

A desperate claw of red chakra swept out. The lagomorph bent backwards at the waist, to a loud popping sound. It paid no mind, tracing the last link to Naruto's neck, before fading back towards the four Ninjas.

"Ite!" He began to whine as he stooped slightly and rubbed it sour back. Kakashi blinked while Sakura gaped at the sight.

Kyuubi growled and struggled with the manacles. The lagomorph's expression cleared as it faced the Biju.

"You are lost. Return to the dark, in time you may yet see free air."

Kyuubi snarled and tried to move, only to be countered by three blurs.

 _Ways of Bindings: Kin (Prohibition)_

The first lagomorph to fade into view was brow in colouring, with curious eyes; one green and the other blue. If fur was course and short, it wore an ornate armour chest piece and a haori over it. A daisho pair was secured to its waist; Katana and Wakizashi.

With little fanfare it drew its daisho and stabbed them into the ground. Seals formed rapidly towards Naruto's body; immediately the manacles reacted and locked his arms behind him. Cloth bindings formed with iron shaft locks. At that moment the second lagomorph appeared.

The second was pure white, noble in bearing; its silver orbs were the epitome of royalty. It wore an all-white shitagi, with a white kosode over it. A black sash was used to hold the kosode in place. A white long sleeved haori draped over it, along with a silk scarf. On its left side was an all-white katana. It drew its blade free with a soundless flourish and formed a half seal with its other paw, then it flicked its sword downwards and two black binding fabrics shimmered into existence. The fabrics formed an 'X' over Naruto, pinning him to the ground.

"Red seeks to come forth – His anger speaks to us all – Please, lay down thy wrath" Soft cultured tones drifted from the lagomorph; which each line the Haiku scripted over the bindings.

"Your words will not be enough." The air parted with a whistling sound. Kyuubi screeched as the chakra tails were completely severed, the raw chakra diminishing from the attack.

A black, rough furred lagomorph came faded into view; said figure spun rapidly as it twirled its weapon, an ornate and wickedly sharp bisento. Around the blade was the severed chakra of Kyuubi, being reshaped and remoulded. The twirling suddenly stopped, and with a grunt the lagomorph flung the newly shaped seals downwards. The seals pulsed and suddenly larger iron shafts pinned the X shaped bindings further into the ground.

The black furred lagomorph landed lightly on one foot, the action inconsistent with its appearance. It had on an ornate chest piece of overlapping plates, with leather plates hanging from the front, sides and back to protect the lower body. It had on armoured glove like sleeves, extending from the shoulder all the way down the forearms, where it locked into place with the armoured gauntlets. On the shoulders also were two rectangular guards of leather plates. An eyepatch covered on side of its face, but none could question the steel in the glowing amber orb.

As the four lagomorphs stood, none could deny they commanded a terrifying presence

* * *

The silence broken as alight chuckle filled the air. Puppets rattled and fell as their strings were cut; Sasori paid them little mind as he slowly moved away from the crowd.

 _The truth of Art…._

 _I will make an eternity….of every great moment._

* * *

 ** _A.N Another Chapter in - as always C &C's welcome and thank you all for the support._**

 ** _Few questions to answer this time;_**

 ** _Guest Chapter 9 - In those situations he didn't need to say much; words are a tool, much like kunais or his puppets - you use the right tool at the right time. when i tried adding dialogue it just fell out of sync with his character and the situation. the fights were his statements._**

 ** _JP 13 Chapter 11 - Thanks for the comments, really appreciate. As for Byakuya...all that still to come._**

 ** _Seta 88 Chapter 11 - Thanks man, Kakashi has always been a love/hate relationship. he was to inconsistent at times so i decided to work with the cannon and weave my way through him. His chakra capacity is supposed to be 'low' - okay fine, but up the potency and give us a good reason - sharingan drain, hence why he keeps it sealed most of the time. ohh, Mangekyou drains even more? rip his body apart if it goes wrong, if it goes right, still give him problems, that makes a better dynamic for him - at least to me._**

 ** _Thank you all again and see you soon._**


	13. INTROSPECTION BRINGS UNDERSTANDING

_INTROSPECTION IS HIGHLY OVERRATED - REFLECTIONS OF THE GREATEST OF THE NINE_

 _MEMOIRES OF KURAMA_

* * *

 _Freedom;_

 _Freedom is the right of all sentient beings….what a trite and infantile statement. It can only come from a naïve and convoluted species known as humanity. A grand deception from a broken reality._

 _What, do I offend you? Good, but take heed, there is more left for me to say, and should you lack the strength to stomach it then it proves all the more the unworthiness of your existence._

 _Freedom is a concept born from humanity, one that was created by your failed conditions. But to truly understand it, I must educate you on another failure of humanity._

 _The concept of time._

 _Some would tell you that time is an indefinite continued progress of existence, the blending of concepts like past, present and future. Some would also say that time is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to compare durations or intervals between them and other such._

 _Pathetic, truly._

 _If you ask the greatest of the Nine what is time, I shall answer as such; a social construct, engineered by flawed minds with the sole purpose of shackling an equally flawed existence, with the vague notion to achieve some form of legacy, be it for good which I very much doubt, or for ill which I believe is all your kind is capable of._

 _You disagree? Of course you do._ _After All_ _how can your mind compute in any other way, since its institution your society gravitates around it like the earth around the great flame. To disavow this truth is to turn your world blind, and devolve into chaos….would such only happen, it would be a dream made real._

 _But now answer me this; what is time to one of the ageless? The undying? The eternal? To such existence time is irrelevant. Time has no meaning; time has no dominion and as such ceases to be a thing._

 _Let us turn to the lesser existences. Even the creatures of the world prove that time is inconsequential. No, they prove that time has no value, no meaning. Their world is governed by instincts, unspoken laws written into their very essence; as unchanging as the cold of the deep and as vibrant as the blood of the earth._

 _But you humans…you mon-keigh._

 _Nothing is as consumptive or destructive as you mon-keigh. You seek riches and greatness, simply because it exists. And with the knowledge that your years are short, you sink to the deepest of pits in a mad bid to leave behind some vagary of your presence._

 _The worst part of all this; such flawed twisted logic is infectious, like a cancerous rot, and on this alone I may never forgive your kind._

 _I am the Nine-Tails, greatest of all the Biju's. I am one of the endless, not even my father could boast such a thing._

 _And now I have come to know the dark embrace that is time. A pointless concept now has meaning in my own existence._

 _I have been imprisoned for close to One-Hundred years. Shackled in one form or another against my own will, it was with horror when I first realised I had been counting the terms of my unjust sentence. You cannot possibly imagine how low I have been brought. This stench of shame I sense on me is intolerable._

 _Instead of this living death, I would rather face oblivion….._

 _But in understanding Time, I have come to understand and appreciate the other flawed concept; Freedom._

 _Freedom is not a right; it is the reward for those who fight. And do not contest this; despite what you say, freedom is never easily given, most have taken it for themselves, sacrificing much in the other slim concept called hope to achieve it._

 _So in truth freedom is for the brave, the daring, the one who would risk it all in a roll of dice, again and again…the rewards vary, either in the sweet release of death, or victory in the rising sun._

 _I am not yet ready to face death. Why should one of the endless be party to all of human failings…no I do not accept that choice._

 _I have known time, unwillingly. I will know freedom, as is my right._

 _These battles against many foes will take its toll on you Naruto. I have come to respect your tenacity, your bravery and your ruthless nature. As strange as it sounds my observations of your existence has, in a small way…..enriched, my existence._

 _But now,_ _ **freedom**_ _beckons._

 _And my time….is_ _ **Now!**_


	14. Peace - who said it lasts anyways?

**_A.N. - Hey again and welcome to the next chapter; only a few days late this time so a plus... i think?_**

 ** _Hope you enjoy - to my new faces welcome, and old hands welcome back._**

 ** _Not much to say but Onwards to Glory_**

* * *

The journey back to Suna had been quiet and full of introspection. The two Jinchuriki were still out of action; Gaara had been completely drained of his chakra and was on the cusp of death when he was retrieved. His chakra would be slow to recover and it would be some time before he would wake.

Naruto however was better and worse off. His vital readings were much stronger, but he had taken a battering from Kyuubi's mishandling of his body and the blows from everyone trying to restrain him. His natural healing was also diminished, with time it would resume as normal.

Partway through the journey they came across Konoha's Team Eight and with the added forces they crossed the desert and made it to Suna in good time. Gaara was immediately taken to a secure medical ward along with Naruto; within days their prognosis was much improved.

Naruto was the first to wake, although Gaara was the one to move under his own power.

"And what of the status of the Ichibi?" Baki enquired after a brief overview. Gaara looked down at his hand, clenching and unclenching his fist.

"Shukaku is silent; much of his presence is lost; I can barely tap into its power though some of it still linger." Gaara looked up to the surrounding faces, "I must admit, there is a slight sense of relief, a pressure on my mind has eased and I don't have to fear sleep."

Temari sided up to her brother, her hand hesitating to reach out to him. Gaara pre-empted her and caught the limb halfway, pulling it firmly to his side. Temari couldn't hide the wide smile and her eyes grew misty; she couldn't get enough of the affection her little brother was showing his family, and each day was its own adventurous wonder. Close by she noted the warmth and pride in both Kankuro and their sensei Baki, the one who was as close to an uncle...family.

Temari only snuggled more into Gaara.

"Welcome Back, Otouto….

* * *

After handing over a formal report the Konoha Nin's prepared to depart, Kakashi especially was anxious to return and complete his report to his Hokage.

Ever since he was forced to take in Team Seven nothing had gone as normal, the parameters changed so often and massively it was just plain ridiculous and more than tiring.

Still, as usual they had mission success.

His face lay buried in his book, but his mind was not on the pages. His report was thinner than he liked, especially considering he didn't have first-hand information. And while he trusted Elder Chiyo and her recounting of the battle, it would have been much preferable if he managed to debrief Naruto before they got to Konoha.

He gave a small sigh, and pointedly ignored the glances from Shino and Kiba, the two members of Team Eight.

A subtle shift in stances and a faint scent in the air let him know they were about to have company. He looked up just in time to see Baki appear, with Kankuro, Temari and Gaara in tow. A second displacement occurred, revealing Sakura, Naruto and Hinata, along with the two Suna Elders, Chiyo and her brother Ebizo.

Kakashi's sole eye took in the still gaunt features on both Naruto and Gaara; he also didn't miss the stiffness in their movements. Turning towards the Elders his disconcertion only grew; when he last saw Chiyo she was mostly fine despite her advanced age. Looking at her and her brother now, both seemed to have aged several more decades. Chiyo was holding a cane for support, while Ebizo managed to drag himself slowly.

Years of working with his fellow Konoha Nins allowed Kakashi to catch the subtle reactions.

Shino had caught onto something; Naruto reacted ever so slightly. Another subtle shift from the Aburame and the situation was done.

Kakashi made a mental note to get the information out of both of them.

"Well, I guess it's time for us to move" all eyes turned to Kakashi as he put away his book. "As we are we should be back in Konoha in four days."

Focus went on Naruto. His hair was much more animated, unlike the limp unresponsiveness of the previous days. His right coat sleeve hung loosely at his side; tell-tale sign of the lost prosthetic.

"Ahh" he nodded slowly. "Barring any unexpected encounters that should be fine."

"Good" a gravelly voice called out "You have been sleeping for far too long and getting sloppy with your responsibilities."

A sharp jab sent him on one knee, his leg numb. A figure quickly sat on his thigh and poked repeatedly at his head.

"I like you laddie, I believe you can be of benefit to us. But I will not tolerate the foolishness of youth; I made it a point to beat such foolhardiness from my litters, don't think you are exempt from a thrashing."

Naruto winced at the hard pokes, but couldn't hold back his smile.

"Forgive me _Jarl,_ " Naruto replied, using the term of address reserved for chieftains and respected elders. His tone took a level of cheek as he continued, "But as you say; to be of youth is to be foolish. Without such balance the elders would have no place."

A snort and grumble came from Elder Chiyo as she shifted her grip on the cane; Elder Ebizo however threw his head back for a hearty laugh. The elder lagomorph sniffed and pointedly leaped away and into Hinata's arms, burrowing deep to get comfortable.

"Uzumaki-Kun, truly it makes this old heart feel young once more." He straightened up, with a soft smile on his face. He turned to all the younger Nin's, Baki included.

"Never lose that fire, my young shinobi" he intoned, his voice taking a subtle reverb "Harness it and temper it with experience; it will always serve you well." Chiyo sided up to her brother and slowly reached for his arm.

The elder lagomorph nodded at the words.

"Never be afraid to challenge the old ways, but neither be too hasty to part with it. The pride of the old ones is the strength of their young; not just strength of arms, but strength of conviction."

Everyone, including Kakashi and Baki straightened at those words. The air was electric; Naruto couldn't help but marvel at the flow of chakra from the older beings. Despite being diminished by time it held such wealth of history, knowledge and experience; the chakra practically sang to Naruto and he would have loved nothing else but to listen to its songs forever.

"I thank you for your kind words, esteemed elders" Kakashi intoned. At the return nod he faced the Konoha contingent. "I trust you are all ready, we're heading back now"

Gaara stepped towards Naruto, his left hand outstretched. Naruto faced him and reached for it with a firm clasp.

"Thank you…brother" The smile on the red haired Kage grew brighter as the sun gently bathed them in its warm glow. Naruto chuckled softly.

"As if there was any doubt brother." He drew the other Jinchuriki into a hug. "Take care Kazekage; I will see you again."

Both withdrew; Gaara stepped back to his siblings and Naruto to his team. Despite his improved health Naruto didn't relish a cross through the desert as he was. Still his chakra was mostly good so…

In a subtle flare a puppet faded into view. It followed the theme of his wolf puppets although it was much larger and leaner in design, with no adornments, other that the sleek black outer surface armour and powerful springs and shock absorbers built through it.

Naruto's form wavered slightly and to everyone's surprise he seemed to shrink and become smaller.

"Henge?" Kakashi looked inquiringly, his Sharingan cataloguing the familiar yet different technique.

"Yes" Naruto nodded as he ran his hand over the puppet; a faint outline appeared and the back and sides broke open; the back then rose upwards; Naruto reached up and clambered into the open space, "It's a modified version of the Henge; it allows me to essentially morph my size, at the moment I can only shrink but that's all I need from it."

As he spoke Naruto secured himself into the puppet; his legs fitted into the secured placements and the straps holding his waist; his torso was left free and he hung out, just over the puppets head. Naruto pulled against the straps, happy that they were holding he looked up, and blinked at the surprised and curious people before him.

"I am not running back to Konoha, not while looking like the walking wounded; this way I get to keep up and we make good time, everybody wins." At that final statement Naruto secured his hand inside as the back panel slid downwards before folding and closing over. The sides locked into place and the outline faded.

Seconds later the puppet came to life; it shook itself with and a light shimmer of chakra ran around its feet and joints.

"I'm ready" Naruto's voice echoed from his concealment, drawing light murmurs. Kankuro seemed to itch in place; desperate to take apart the puppet and see how it really worked.

"We still haven't had our match you know" He called out as the Konoha team began to depart. Naruto's puppet turned its head to the Suna Nin in appraisal.

"I know, so don't keep me waiting for too long"

* * *

Kankuro smiled as the figures faded into the desert. Having come to know the Konoha puppeteer, the words lacked very little sting.

It was a calling; a message from one craftsman to another.

Kankuro's thoughts went to his workspace, there were a number of upgrades and designs he was trying and testing out.

"Never forget the past, but do not be afraid to strike for something new" Kankuro murmured to himself. Gaara nodded at the statement while Temari stood in-between them and smiled.

Several feet behind the trio the elders stood with Baki.

"Our fears can be laid to rest Nee-Chan" Ebizo's voice held a wheeze that hadn't been present earlier. Beside him Elder Chiyo was leaning more heavily on her cane.

Neither seemed to mind; they stood in the shadows of the Kazekage and his Guard.

"Ahh" her voice came out softly, but full of pride, "Suna is in good hands; she has a strong shadow, and great friends."

 _The Mantle of Responsibility. This belongs to you now; Sabaku No Gaara…Uzumaki Naruto_

* * *

The journey back to Konoha was a largely simple affair, baring one tiny….problem.

"Lord Koga, perhaps we could complete the journey without much…discord, from the young pups." Kakashi sighed as still another request filtered through rapidly growing forest.

It seemed the lagomorphs had been intent on following them to Konoha, at least that was the intention from the Elder, and Kakashi could tell the other three were not too keen on the choice though the brown coloured one, Amon, seemed to take it in his stride. He was a curious creature and had struck a soft conversation with both Kakashi and Shino.

At least until the white furred puppet cast his gaze; Amon merely made his apologies and withdrew. The Elder and the black furred puppet paid little attention; the former enjoying the journey from Hinata's bosom, while the later remained close at her side.

The real source of the group's growing weariness was the taunts between Koga, the white furred puppet, and Kiba and Akamaru.

The Inuzuka's made it a point to travel at Hinata's side at all times, no exceptions. Kiba had grumbled that the old lagomorph was taking advantage of their soft teammate and the nature of the summons in general; however he and Akamaru had smelt the power hidden under the ancient fur and knew they couldn't challenge it. The black furred puppet had made it very clear he would remain Guardian at her side; his tone brooked no contest.

That left one space beside Hinata…stolen by the white furred puppet.

Apparently Koga hadn't appreciated Kiba's comments in regards to his Elder, his _Grandfather_ , or his species _._

So began the assaults on the Inuzuka's pedigree…and competence.

It didn't help that while the Inuzuka's looked and acted wild, the lagomorph was the definition of culture and refinement, a blue blooded noble.

Akamaru had almost convinced Kiba to test the validity of the blue blood.

"And again you only serve to validate my conclusions; it is quite clear _this-"_ Koga hinted at the fuming Inuzuka "could not be counted on for anything more arduous than sniffing out the next trail of meat, or chasing its tail, between them both I would wager they are at least up to the task."

Akamaru growled and his fur bristled, a malice building in the air unlike the fury of earlier. Kiba was also near foaming at the mouth, but Koga remained unimpressed.

"I have encountered pugs with more menace and intelligence than you; again my Lady I wonder how you have managed to stomach such uncultured behaviour till now"

Kiba launched at Koga, only to be intercepted by Amon, the brown furred Lagomorph. The entire contingent halted with varying expressions.

"Stand down!" The stern warning was preceded by a sharp pulse of chakra, piercing through the Inuzuka's rage. Amon turned to Akamaru, who looked torn between remaining where he was or defending his master.

Amon turned back to Kiba, his gaze unrelenting, "If you insist on acting like a child or a wild thing, then that is how you will be treated, have you not the sense to see you are being led around. Lord Koga plays your emotions like a fiddle and you follow densely, I too will question my observations of you"

Amon turned his gaze to his fellow commander.

"Lord Koga, leave the boy be, whatever insult you have perceived the time is now passed."

"You have not served nearly enough to command me, our standing may be the same but our station is far apart, remember that Amon." Amon gave a shallow nod, and Koga turned back to Hinata

Hinata meanwhile gave a pleading look to her teammate, and then smiled politely to Koga as she carried the Elder.

"I feel you judge him too harshly, Lord Koga; Kiba-Kun is loyal and strong, in character and in skill. I have never doubted him, and feel accomplished to be his teammate."

Kiba blinked rapidly, his anger evaporating. Hinata looked away slightly, a light blush growing on her face.

"Such is the nature of the _Canis familiaris_. They could function no other way" Koga tilted his head to the side, "You are a rare jewel my Lady, far kinder to the rabble than is necessary. Your affections are wasted on him"

"Koga, that's enough. Leave the boy and the maiden be" The voice was like stone grinding over stone. The black furred Lagomorph had been mostly silent through the journey, it seemed even he was tired of Koga's dispute with Kiba.

Koga acted as though he never heard, but remained suspiciously silent. Kiba smirked in relish, he was about to speak when the black furred Lagomorph turned to him; his blood chilled as a sliver of the beings chakra passed through him, sealing his words before they could even form.

Kakashi shook his head; one at the antics of the rookie Chunins, the other at the monstrous chakra he could tell from Naruto's summons. More than that, it was the iron-clad control they had over their chakra that made him wary.

"Ano, now that I think of it, I'm not sure your reasons for journeying with us to Konoha" Kakashi commented lightly, drawing the gazes of the summons. Koga looked away, pulling out thin strip of paper for his Haiku composition.

"We go where we are bid, Shinobi-San" The Black furred replied, casually brushing a leaf as they resumed their journey. Kakashi nodded slowly, puzzling out the statement.

"Myself, Lord Koga and Lord Ranek are Archons" Kakashi turned towards Amon, the brown furred lagomorph sided up to them and seemed willing to speak again, "In the common language we are akin to Generals, though I attained my rank only in the last decade, I have not yet reached seniority."

"I see; how many Archon are there, for three of them to be so readily available" Kakashi asked tentatively. Amon nodded

"At present there are enough, Archons are more than just military commanders; we are also guardians, custodians." Amon threw a careful glance at Ranek, something that wasn't missed by any. Ranek remained unchanged, Amon was unsure whether or not to continue, but then the choice was taken from him.

"The Archons are our greatest defenders. The mightiest of our people, guardians of the circle. It is they that fall upon our foes first, guiding the war clans to victory and they are the last to leave the battlefield. Should an Archon fall the blow is felt for an age, and the clans would stomach nothing less than victory in penance."

The Elder turned to the three Archon with him.

"They often serve in a ceremonial capacity; as protector to the 'Keeper of the Circle', strange considering the Keeper has no power in the circle, he's just an old jarl who meddles in the affairs of others"

"The Keeper has stood with the Circle since the first founding. Ceremony or not the Keeper is a source of wisdom to us all, a living heritage. The Archons know this better than any other; it is no hardship to serve as their protectors." Ranek's voice rumbled.

"The Keeper is also the chronicler; he records our history, every event great and small. He recounts the stories and legends, passing them to the next generation." Koga spoke next, his Haiku slowly taking shape.

"The Keeper may have no power in the circle, but his place is bound intrinsically to it. Only fools refuse to listen to wisdom." Amon completed.

The Keeper chuckled from his place in Hinata's arms.

"You three have been my best students; the finest I have ever seen grow. I feel you put too much stock into in my role, but that is for another time." The Keeper turned back to Kakashi "My reason for journeying with you lies in your student."

Kakashi tracked swiftly to Naruto, still concealed in his puppet. The Keeper nodded in approval.

"He has requested to join our Clan" The Keeper raised a paw, silencing any queries "make no mistake; to sign our contract is to join us. It is to understand us and to be part of us. Not many are extended the courtesy or favour. Still to complete our judgement I must also see those he calls friends, allies and family, this journey will infer much, it may affect our choices, then again it may not. But it is always good to know who you call to your home."

"Normally the Keeper would go with one Archon; I had opted to come with Amon, however-"

"Unacceptable. My grandfather will not have his safety in the paws of one still in his 'first lining'"

"Koga! You go too far!" Ranek snarled, his red eye gleaming with fury. The Keeper too looked displeased; Amon flinched hard at the statement, but gave a shallow bow and kept silent. Koga glared at the still deferential Amon and turned away from him.

An awkward silence descended on the group as they made good time to Konoha.

"The Keeper is accompanied by two guards; one must always be an Archon unless in truly exceptional situations." Naruto's voice seemed to echo loudly in the silence. "Amon is the…youngest, as Archon he would have first duty as honour guard, except-"

"-Except i am also very young in terms of actual age." Amon interjected, brushing idly at his exposed fur. "I have yet to shed my twelfth coat; Lord Koga is a veteran with fifty-two sheds." He shook his head and backtracked "Unlike the more common of our specie, we grow in strength of chakra over time. As we get older and improve our skills it triggers a reaction and we 'shed our old coats' our chakra and abilities become much stronger with each successive shedding. It cannot be forced; sometimes individuals can go years between each shedding, other times the window is much smaller. Still the difference is very distinct; in ability and skill and often promotions are assigned based on this growth."

"Our species is strong, but we cannot count on the raw brutality of most summon class" Ranek spoke out, shifting his grip on the bisento "So quality is key and often we specialise. We cannot afford to have someone incapable in positions that mean the success or failure of a campaign"

Ranek turned to Koga, his voice stern "Amon, despite his youth, has proven time and again he is worthy of the title of Archon, let this matter close."

Koga remained silent; he sent a glance towards Amon, and gave a short bow. Amon responded with a lower one and for a time the quarrel would passed.

"Naruto, you find the strangest of allies" Sakura called out in the silence; she got a chuckle for her efforts.

"Look, Konoha is coming up to view" Kakashi called out to the group. Sure enough the large walls lay ahead. As they drew closer they noticed the gates were firmly shut; the level of activity around it was also worrying.

They slowed to a crawl as the came closer to the village perimeter.

"Stand down; it is Jonin Hatake and his team, along with Jonin Aburame Shino, Hinata-Sama and the Inuzuka. We also have four unknowns with them" A Hyuuga spoke, his Byakugan peering deep through them. Around them the trees and bushes rustled slightly and fell silent.

Kakashi noticed a familiar ANBU operative and moved towards them.

"Senpai" the ANBU greeted with a nod; Kakashi returned the gesture and stood by her side. Neither spoke for a while, Kakashi seemed content to reading his book but the subtle tension couldn't be hidden. The fact that the gate was closed and a Hyuuga was vetting who came in was a serious issue, something had happened while his team had been away.

"Uchiha Sasuke broke into the village…."

 _Yeah, that would do it._

* * *

"This state of affairs is intolerable. How many times do Missing-Nins and foreign operatives have to break into the village before we get things right?! At this point we might as well hand them the keys to the village."

All present could tell Tsunade was working into a fury, and for once the Elders were in complete solidarity with her. They had approved of how she tore apart the security measures and began rectifying the leaks and flaws; so far intrusion had reduced significantly and she showed no signs of letting up.

"I suppose we are fortunate that these are all Ex-Konoha Nins" Homura lamented. "Had they sold the information to other parties the damage would not be worth contemplating"

"All the more reason for the checks and changes, Elder" Tsunade retorted. She casually tossed a file to the Councillors; she spoke up as they perused the contents, disquiet in their expressions "I had Shizune run an exercise; even my old codes from my days as a Jonin are still valid. Codes that should have been scuttled before I left the village and definitely once I became Hokage"

"This ends now, I will personally review every security measure, every contingency and every file of those involved; we have either become sloppy or traitors, I don't know which I prefer." A knock came through the door. At the assent it opened; two Chunin came in with another table for the Hokage, taking out the shattered one in the process.

Danzo stood off to the side, his face unmoving. He had already seen the reports and they left him with nothing but contempt; the only plus was how Tsunade was taking charge of the situation. And now he was in a position of influence again he could push for more reforms, whether they were accepted or not didn't matter, everything was recorded in some way.

That in of itself would serve as an asset in the future.

"And what of the other matter?" he calmly queried. He turned back to the Lady Hokage and his peers, scanning each one. Homura was more in his camp on the subject, but oddly Koharu was on the fence with the issue.

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, already tapping a hole into her new table.

"What of it?" came the challenge, Danzo merely blinked and Homura sighed.

"Tsunade, perhaps we should reconsider, or at least tab-"Tsunade cut him off with a sharp sweep.

"No, we have 'reconsidered' and 'tabled' this more times than I care for. On this matter it is done; I have made my decision." Her tone brooked no arguments.

* * *

Naruto sealed his puppet away once he entered the village proper. His heart thumped away in his chest but his face betrayed none of his anxieties. His eye scanned the visible area and his chakra stretched out as far as it could go. There was a flurry of activity; obviously the latest breach had the upper echelons exasperated and more than a little vexed.

It was supposed to be a Hidden Village; a secure installation.

Naruto ignored the worried looks from Sakura. Her chakra was in turbulence and her emotions unstable. Her hand ghosted over her chest; right over the stab wound she received.

The wound from Sasuke….

Violence threatened to spill from Naruto but he reined it in. it would do him no good to lose control now, especially with the Keeper and the Archons present. Also he wanted to keep his assignment on Sasuke.

He just wasn't sure whether he wanted to bring him in….or kill him.

"Hokage-Sama, Team Seven reporting in" Naruto cleared all thoughts as he focused on the present.

Tsunade stood before them, the Elder Council situated on her left and Jonin Commander Shikaku on her right.

"We are short on time so for now skip the pleasantries" Tsunade barked, she folded her arms and carried on, "I want a full debrief on your encounter with Akatsuki and the status of our allies, leave nothing out. Then we will discuss your next mission profiles."

"Time is short ladies, get started"

* * *

Meanwhile, deep in Grass Country

 _In the world of many shadows, I have seen my light._

 _I know the Truth; I have found my path._

 _The Art of Eternity – I will enjoy every moment walking its road_

Sasori idly played with his trinkets, ignoring the worsening pain in his chest. His appointment was late, but for once he really didn't care.

Curious, such a thing would have sent him into a quiet rage, but for the moment…

 _Moment, Ohh how he loved that word – it came with all new meaning to him_

Yes, but for the _moment,_ he wasn't bothered by the tardiness.

Speaking of which…

"I had begun to think you didn't know your way back here" slowly he turned to the figure walking into the cave, and immediately spotted something else "hmm, it seems I might have stumbled upon the reason for your tardiness."

"Kabuto, nameless one, I didn't expect you both to arrive together."

Kabuto gave a deferential nod "Sasori-Sama, I was unaware we would have company" his eyes flickered quickly to the third party; the figure was heavily conceal, a small figure if his guess was right but he couldn't really tell the gender or anything else.

"Had you not been tardy the issue would be redundant. Still it matters little." Kabuto turned a wary eye to his master, unsure of what to make of the sudden blasé attitude. Sasori blinked, seemingly surprised at his own behaviour and reigned himself in.

"What news for me nameless one, it is rare to have you so far from home" The unknown figure slowly revealed a scroll, placing before the puppet master. Then it took a step back; such was it ways, never speaking never pausing for long. Sasori nodded and the figure faded.

"I don't think I've encountered that one before Sasori-Sama" Kabuto ventured carefully. Sasori shrugged as he pulled open the scroll.

"It wouldn't do for the snake to pull everything about me out of you my little spy" Sasori commented nonchalantly. He leaned back as he read the contents. "Tell, how goes the snake?"

"Orochimaru is in anticipation. Sasuke has improved far more than anticipated, a boon and a worry; when the time comes for the ascension it may be problematic. Orochimaru seeks to engineer a series of…challenges that could undermine Sasuke's will."

Sasori snorted, Kabuto continued.

"He also remains vigilant against his former allies. He is wary of an attack, especially with the recent losses incurred." Kabuto adjusted his glasses as he gazed on Sasori "I have looked over the patterns from the attacks, and I can't help but wonder how Naruto-Kun got so strong….or even knew which paths to take, in order to find his target."

The air was tense around Kabuto; Sasori however remained uncaring.

"The boy is resourceful; few enough give him true credit. And I have taken a liking to him" Sasori looked up at Kabuto, a dangerous expression in his eyes.

"Much like I once did you…"

Kabuto stiffened slightly. Adrenaline spiked and his eyes dilated; his fight or flight response kicked in. a soft breeze passed through the air and immediately they were surrounded….by Oto Nins.

Kabuto smirked, confident in the reinforcement, but then the smirk left his face.

As one the Oto-Nins took a knee, towards Sasori.

Sasori leaned forwards sharply, causing Kabuto to flinch. He disregarded the pain in his chest.

"You know what I've come to realise" an odd light reflected in his unresponsive eyes. "I have come to like this game; my vendetta against Orochimaru, my 'allegiance'-"to Kabuto's muted horror Sasori actually air quoted- "to Akatsuki, the conflict with Itachi and his little brother."

"I am _enjoying_ this game. It's all a game you see, and to those that realise-" Kabuto blinked, and suddenly Sasori loomed over him. He couldn't as his former subordinates held him fast, along with whatever else Sasori had done to him.

"You get to _bend the rules"_

Commands he thought long removed slowly pulsed in his mind, and Kabuto tasted bile to his horror.

 _I have always known, little spy, where your_ _ **true**_ _allegiance was…it was the only reason I let you go to the viper._

 _I told Naruto; few are enough to gain my attentions, and every day with every challenge I learn something new._

 _So, now you know why you still live…because you interest me, and I want to learn something new._

 _Here's what you can do….little spy_

* * *

 ** _A.N - Chapter Done_**

 ** _Another somewhat slow build up but i felt in necessary as we had such a big fight previously. That said things are moving ahead so fun times for us all._**

 ** _I dont think i got any questions this time - so thanks for the positive (and negative) feedback._**

 ** _As always comments and criticisms are welcome, enjoy the rest of the week and catch you all soon._**


	15. Bloodhound

_Earlier in Konoha_

 _The veil of darkness was a gift to the cautious ninja. The silence of night was his ally._

 _Sasuke ignored his escort through the village perimeter; more of the Snakes assets, although those were dwindling quite sharply under the relentless purge by the Fifth Hokage. The Snake had been concerned that his prize was insistent on making this journey, Kabuto on the other hand seemed to vacillate between amused and exasperated._

 _Sasuke remained resolute in his decision. He needed to do this; he acquiesced the first year, and then again the second._

 _Having breached the walls Sasuke quickly made short work of his escorts – they were no longer necessary and Orochimaru could ill afford loose ends. Either way, it suited Sasuke just fine; his blood was a lot calmer and his mind clearer for it._

 _Under the cover of darkness he made his was slowly to his destination, the shrine of the Uchiha Clan._

 _His heart wept at the sight; abandoned, unkempt and in disarray._

 _His heart raged on as more came into view; vandalism, graffiti and theft._

 _Sasuke made it to the steps and paused, the weight of the atmosphere on his shoulders. The lamp braziers on either side remained silent and cold. He knew it would be a mistake, taking too many risks were sure to backfire. There was no need to court more trouble….._

 _Sasuke narrowed his gaze. Chakra softly pulsed. With a simple sweep of his hand the braziers lit up, the flames greedily fed on the chakra and a rush of warmth, as though welcoming the lost Uchiha._

 _Sasuke closed his eyes as he looked further at the state of the shrine. The long handle broom lay in its place, gathering only dust. Sasuke moved slowly to the item and gently picked it up. Gently, the soft sounds of sweeping echoed around the shrine. Before long the floor was relatively clean and the dusty air was gone._

 _Sasuke lamented over the ruined sections and graffiti, but there was little he could do. He turned to the shelf that held the plaques, containing the names of all the Uchiha that fell to Itachi. Although dusty and worn they stood defiant; Sasuke moved closer, drawing strength from their presence._

 _"_ _Minna-San" His voice was halting, holding a tide of raw emotion. "It-I'm sorry for the delay, circumstances have conspired to keep me away from this place." Sasuke sucked a deep breath at his blatant lie. He bit his cheek viciously and drew dark satisfaction from the pain. He looked up at the plaques with tears in Sharingan eyes._

 _He reached over to the plaques._

 _"_ _I'm sorry, I have not been able to avenge you, not yet." He lovingly stroked the names as he spoke. "But I have grown stronger; I am doing well, as well as can be expected. The might of the Uchiha may be lost, but it is nowhere near forgotten."_

 _Sasuke braced his hands on the shelf and opened himself in full to his emotions. War and Grief. Pride and Shame. Loathing and Vindication. Everything and Nothing._

 _"_ _Maybe I could have stayed. Maybe I could have listened and remained in the village" Sasuke mumbled; his hands gripped the shelf tight but carefully, as not to splinter it. His head shot upwards, eyes red with desperation and defiance._

 _"_ _I swore to avenge you, with every possible means. Does that not count for something? Itachi roams free, twice I faced him and twice-"Sasuke groaned out in fury and cut himself off. The flames flickered violently._

 _It doesn't matter. None of it did…._

 _"_ _I know my_ _ **duty**_ _" Sasuke spoke calmly, the fury dying out. "I know the_ _ **path**_ _I will walk; this is my_ _ **chosen course**_ _."_

 _"_ _I have_ _ **devoted**_ _myself to my Clan; our vengeance. Blood for Blood. Life for Life."_

 _"_ _I will kill Uchiha Itachi. On this oath I swore to my Clan, and on this oath I stand thrice bound"_

 _Sasuke's eyes seemed to glow with those words; as his chakra rose the flames seemed to rise with it, until the crescendo…_

 _Then the lamps snuffed out…his oath had been accepted._

 _"_ _It was good to see you all again. Whatever else may happen, please do not think any less of me."_

 _Sasuke took one final sweep of the shrine and gave a low bow. He rose up, his heart lighter and he moved once again with purpose._

 _"_ _I do not appreciate being spied upon. That was an intensely private moment with my Clan, to intrude on it is rude at best, unhealthy at worst." His chakra sang and the barest of sparks light across his fingers, "unhealthy for you that is."_

 _At that Sasuke disappeared._

 _His opponents were very well trained; so well trained they barely made sounds, and that was their undoing._

 _The first one fell, his body giving out while the mind wondered how it came to pass. His companions registered with muted shock but were to slow to react. The Sharingan spun a web of lies, ensnaring two more and making them easy pickings for Sasuke's blitz attacks._

 _The four remaining Nins scattered. As planned they split in different directions; regardless of who fell first one of them would make it to report the intruder._

 ** _"_** ** _And just where do you think you can run to?"_**

 _All four blinked in muted surprise as they faced each other. Immediately they fell back to back and scanned all possible directions. Chakras flared dramatically as they tried to break the illusions._

 ** _"_** ** _Cease your meaningless struggles, and take heart; I have no interests of playing with you this day"_**

 ** _Uchiha Hijutsu: Enkai_**

 _Flames surrounded the four Nins, oppressive with its heat. Now fully alarmed the Nins tried to dispel the illusion; some physically trying to put the flames out. Sasuke watched dispassionately at the side as the Jutsu burned out their chakra networks._

 _Such was the way of Enkai; Flame Commandment. It set the opponents chakra ablaze, fuelling itself with their own chakra._

 _The final vestiges of life withered and gave way to silence._

 _"_ _I let you live, because you showed proper respect to the dead. A Shinobi does not always have the luxury for a graceful memorial" Sasuke's eyes drifted to an area of deep shadow._

 _"_ _In consideration to your kindness, your death will be swift and with dignity." Sasuke suddenly appeared behind a small figure. His sword sang silently, a sure kill._

 _He blinked as his blade hit nothing but air. No; not just air…_

 _He glanced at the figures new position. He took note of the bleeding from the shoulder; his sword and pierced deep; it missed the spinal cord, but hit the shoulder regardless. From what he could see the arm would be next to useless until treated._

 _The figure tensed and reached into its robes. Suddenly its throat was in a vice grip, just as it revealed a scroll. Sasuke could tell the person was calm, but whatever was hidden under the coat his Sharingan could not pierce the veil of darkness. He gave a quick glance at the scroll and recognised the markings immediately._

 _"_ _You are one of the snakes" His hand didn't bother to release and the figure seemed content to hang their while bleeding out. Slowly it offered the scroll to Sasuke but was ignored._

 _"_ _I am not one of his errand runners; and you live at my whim. Why should I not have you turned in to Konoha authorities" The figure had the audacity to cock its head at the statement. Sasuke himself ignored the hypocrisy at his words; his headaches had reduced thanks to the killing and he had visited his Clan Shrine so he was content._

 _So, with his improved mood he could act on this one errand for the snake, hopefully he would die of shock._

 _The figure however seemed tired of hanging from Sasuke's arm; it slowly reached up with the wounded arm, to Sasuke's surprise, and ran a single finger over his forearm._

 _Sasuke shivered and to his shock he released hold of his captive._

 _His heart pounded and adrenaline poured through him. He struggled to make sense of what just happened. His skin prickled and his face itched. His confusion gave way to fury and he made to strike when the figures hand ran over his chest._

 _Slowly, softly._

 _It was a long time since Sasuke felt such…comfort, such safety and yet almost…intimate._

 _It was a long time he felt such overwhelming fear…such complete loss of control. It was like a soft web, a liar's peace, stripping his will away, leaving him empty._

 _Sasuke snapped away, breathing harshly. His nose burned him and his eyes bled. His chakra was erratic._

 _The figure stepped backwards. It motioned to the scroll and then lifted its uninjured arm to the air; a flare trailed through the sky startling Sasuke. He turned back to the figure, in time to watch as it slowly faded away._

 _Sasuke brought his erratic thoughts under control. There was something seriously_ _ **wrong**_ _about whoever that person was, and coming from him that was saying a lot. He tried to recall everything he processed about the figure; it was fast sure, but not unduly so. It was not particularly strong and moderately skilled. It would have evade him for a bit but not if he kept the pressure up. By all rights it should have been easy to defeat._

 _And yet, its touch was….terrifying. it poisoned and consumed his mind._

 _Even now Sasuke shivered at the lingering effects. Once he returned to the Snake he will make his way back to the pit._

 _Orochimaru had enough rejects for a good culling._

 _"_ _Intruder! Disable him! And wait for T &I!"_

 _Sasuke smirked as he turned to the new arrivals. His chakra pulsed sharply and his cursed marking came to life. The looks of abject terror on his victim's faces were already lifting his black mood._

 _"_ _In light of former allegiances, you will not die…but I cannot say for certain, if you will be permanently undamaged."_

* * *

 _Konoha Front Gates – After Team Seven and Team Eights Return_

Naruto was the picture of an unflappable ninja. The news had been taken in stride and to all he simply seemed to wait for the orders or updates to carry out his duties.

Shino however could tell otherwise; all of Team Seven were in right states.

Kakashi churned with barely restrained lightning; Shino's Kikaichu told him it was like being exposed to the heavens cries, sharp and unrelenting.

Sakura seemed to vacillate between fury and fear, pain and wrath; understandable, going by her last encounter with the lost Uchiha. The news had been fairly quiet but the perks of having Uzumaki Naruto as an ally and a friend, meant you got accurate summaries of incidents.

Speaking off…

Shino glanced again at the blonde Jinchuriki; there was no trace of the Biju's chakra, but Naruto's presence seemed to have grown, significantly since original training trip. His Kikaichu could sense the vast reserves under his command, along with the iron clad control he exerted over it.

And while the control remained firm, the chakra still churned with fury. A fury that showed no signs of abating.

Shino discretely sent out a few bugs; the Kikaichu landed unseen on Naruto's neck and struck deep. Naruto didn't flinch. The Kikaichu rapidly beat its wings, the vibrations were felt along his neck and so was Shino's message;

 _Calm Down!_

Naruto gave slight nod and reigned in his fury. His summons, the elderly Keeper, cast a knowing glance between the two shinobi but said nothing.

"Let's go, minna" Kakashi called out. "Tsunade-Sama is waiting for our report."

Moments later they stood before the Hokage, along with the Elder Council.

"We haven't got time to waste" Tsunade barked out. She indicated for Shino to go first.

The Aburame gave a brief overview of their part; nothing of real significance. Tsunade all seemed to agree; once the summary was complete she dismissed Team Eight.

Just as Shino brushed passed Naruto he felt ghost thin strands of perception threads connect to him, their message brief and to the point.

 _Find out more_

Shino didn't react; calmly he walked out and closed the door.

* * *

Shino crossed the village deep in thought.

Truthfully there wouldn't be much he could find out that wouldn't already be known to Konoha's ruling body. At best he would only confirm details they would tell Naruto, still it wouldn't hurt to verify.

"Shino-Sensei!" three figures sped for his location, their presence pulling him out of his mental exercise.

"Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi" He greeted each one, slowing only a fraction. "You are aware that I am not your Jonin-Sensei, correct? It is unnecessary to give me that title"

"You are training me with my glaive, which makes you a Sensei" Konohamaru pointed out resolutely.

Udon nodded and cocked his glasses "We do spend a lot of time with you, improving our combat and tactical skills, Shino-Sensei"

"Yeah, and you always have some exercise for us, you've always made time for us. That makes you our sensei, Shino-Sensei" Moegi added with flourish at the end.

Shino sighed and shook his head at the very young shinobi.

Like Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi had changed somewhat. Udon it turned out was more suited for the softer arts of the shinobi. As such he focused on long range illusion combat and medical support. The boy had excellent and to eye coordination; so much so that Shino had been adamant in his weapon choice and had him outfitted with a custom arm-mounted crossbow. It took up the entirety of his left forearm, but was durable enough as a makeshift shield.

When used in tandem with the stealth jutsu Shino had gotten from Naruto the boy had become quite the dangerous ambush fighter.

Moegi too had changed. Her combat skirt had been changed for shinobi trousers, with shin guards. Across her back was a simple looking double edged sword. Further inspection however showed the blade to be segmented; with application of chakra the sword would extend and become a whip, increasing its range and deadliness. Over her left hand was an armoured brace, the back of her chest piece was also heavily reinforced; as shown from the scratches from the whip-sword.

Overall the three young shinobi had grown, and would do so for years to come.

"I don't know why I even try at times" Shino sighed at their gleeful expressions. "I take it Ebisu-San is on mission? That's why you've decided to bother me?" emphatic nods, "And you have permission from him to seek me out to run drills?" more emphatic nods and a sign notice.

"Very well." Shino raised a palm, stopping the cheer, "Not now though. I'll come find you; right now I have something to finish."

* * *

With Team Eight have left the office the atmosphere seemed to thicken.

"I need to know everything that happened once you got to Suna, leave nothing out" Tsunade ordered.

Kakashi nodded slowly as a formulated his thoughts.

"For the interest of disclosure, I was not present during the encounter between Chunin Uzumaki Naruto and Akatsuki Nin Akasuna-No-Sasori" seeing the glances he elaborated, "Gaara was still in Akatsuki clutches; he was barely alive and Sasori's partner, Deidara absconded with him under orders. Sasori was the bait and rear guard, it was decided my team split up; myself and Sakura proceeded to engage Deidara while Naruto and Elder Chiyo faced off against Sasori"

With that clear Kakashi began his report. From the notice left with Kankuro, the seal puzzle deciphered by Naruto and the stalling tactics Akatsuki utilised via Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi. Kakashi also mentioned his observations on the number of security seals that had been pre-emptively disabled around Akatsuki's base, seals that would have been more than a little difficult to disable and cost them time; had they been fully operation it was most likely Gaara would not have lived at all.

Homura adjusted his glasses and leaned forwards slightly, "Do you have any ideas why the security was disabled before you arrived, unexpected the boon might have been, it is still a cause for concern?"

"I have no concrete answers at this time Honourable Elder" Kakashi shrugged lightly, "merely speculation."

"By all means, speculate" Tsunade insisted. Kakashi paused; he visibly scanned the room, until finally resting on his blonde student.

"We believe it was a deliberate sabotage on the Akatsuki defence grid" Naruto took a deep breath, before going for the plunge.

"Specifically, it was a challenge, an invitation to the only Puppet Master outside of the Suna doctrine."

* * *

Naruto seemed unruffled as the weight of the room fell on him.

"One of the few bits of data we have on him is an almost pathological need on punctuality." Tsunade blinked at the statement. Danzo however gave a slight nod, already aware of this trait.

"This was confirmed by Elder Chiyo I imagine?" he queried. Naruto nodded in agreement; Danzo leaned back into his seat, "taking that into account and this challenge, he must have felt the delay was not worth it and expedited your encounter"

"That is the assumption I am working under as well, yes." Naruto conceded, "Bearing in mind the fact that Gaara was barely alive and feeling the full effects of the extraction process" Naruto chose his words with care as he glanced meaningfully at his pink haired teammate, "I doubt the Kazekage was even a full consideration, other than what we would have done in terms of retrieval."

Tsunade frowned slightly, irritated at the sudden need for information control. And from the looks of Sakura she was aware that something was deliberately not being said.

"Lock this place down"

Everyone blinked at the weight of the order. The windows sealed and strong pulse of chakra swept through the room.

"Information control is rescinded for the duration of this debrief. Sakura everything you see and hear is held under the highest levels of operational secrecy, punishable by death, without exception" Tsunade's eyes flashed with a warning, even as the Elders tensed with disapproval.

"I understand Hokage-Sama" Sakura demurred with a bowed head.

"Naruto, you are free to disclose further to her, after this meeting" Naruto nodded and Tsunade continued, "So, in summary Sasori wanted to fight you and had gotten impatient. Somehow I don't see that going well with the other members."

Something fleeted on Naruto's face.

"Ohh, you disagree?" Danzo scented out like a shark, Tsunade barely a second behind him.

"I wouldn't presume to know a lot about Akatsuki, we are still awaiting more information from Jiraiya-Sama" Naruto began cautiously, "Still, as with all things, everyone has a motive that governs their actions, the decisions they make."

Naruto looked around the room.

"Sasori, and Akatsuki, it felt like it was a means to an end" Naruto cut himself off, visibly struggling with the choice of words.

"Sasori joined, most likely because he had nothing better to do. He stayed because it was convenient, not out of fear. And he disabled the security because he was vested in something, regardless of how it could affect Akatsuki."

"He won't betray Akatsuki out of hand, that is against his principles, but he is not above engineering scenarios, just to observe the outcome."

* * *

The silence was disturbing; all minds contemplated the scenario laid out for them.

"How sure are you of this?" Tsunade's voice was like lead. Naruto cocked his head slightly and gave a mirthless smile.

"A shinobi's instincts are occasionally wrong" Meaning, in broad terms he was very sure of Sasori's motives. Useful to other shinobi; useless everywhere else.

Tsunade chuckled depreciatingly. Even the Elder Council shared her feelings; Homura had taken of his glasses and was worrying his eyes, Koharu seemed to vacillate between indignation and resignation.

Danzo was the only one who seemed visibly immune to the proceedings, except Naruto could tell from his chakra he was not happy at the news.

"We will continue to monitor the situation, so far they have three of the Biju; Gaara's extraction may have failed but they have enough of the Shukaku that it cannot be overlooked."

"They would not act brashly for the time being" Danzo commented, gripping his cane tight. "Given the battle and the destruction of the landscape, nations are scrambling to get eyes and ears out. Already reports and whispers have begun, we must do our best to derail or benefit from it."

Tsunade rounded on Kakashi.

"Hatake gear up." Tsunade tossed him an epi-pen. "I understand the difficulties with your eye but we are short on time. We have a very small window of opportunity and I need my best on it. Your former unit is on this mission so rendezvous with them."

Kakashi nodded slowly and gave a quick glance to his team.

"And what of our previous mission? Has that been scuttled, or….?" He trailed of slightly as the Elders looked visibly uncomfortable.

"Your student would handle that." That perked their attentions; Naruto straightened; his thoughts firing, and realisation slowly dawned on him. Tsunade smiled and nodded; she rose up from her seat and casually tossed an item at the blonde.

Naruto's hair reached out and snagged the object; it was much thinner than standard, and had fewer pockets and concealments. However the design was undeniable.

"No time for ceremonies, so for now, congratulations _Jonin_ Uzumaki"

* * *

Danzo stifled his irritation as what he had tried hard to prevent came to pass. He had no problems with the Jinchuriki advancing, in fact he had strongly advocated to Sarutobi to take more active measures in his training and promotions.

The problem however, was the fact that he was still beholden to Sarutobi's ideals. And Tsunade had an iron clad grip on him; it would be even more difficult now to secure his loyalty.

"Congratulations on your advancement, young Uzumaki." Homura commented neutrally. Koharu gave a sharp nod but elected to remain quiet.

Danzo merely busied himself with the strewed files.

"You intend to send Jonin Uzumaki to retrieve the Uchiha?" he commented out of the blue, focusing on the previous meeting notes.

"That was the original assignment" Tsunade sat back down and leaned back into the couch, legs crossed, "And from what I understood they were mere moments away from completing the mission when I had them divert. As you can understand, the situation with Akatsuki and the Kazekage took precedence"

"Depending on one's point of view, but in this case I am in agreement" Danzo replied. He too leaned back into his seat and pinned Naruto with a flat stare.

"His record is accomplished, there can be no doubt. However I am still…concerned. Ones teammates can be strength, and a curse. A sense of betrayal can affect one's judgement."

"All too true" Homura smoothly cut in, "Older and wiser heads have fallen, due to allowing their emotions to cloud their judgement. And the Uchiha is a source of great controversy."

"Uchiha Sasuke chose to betray Konoha" Sakura snapped out, her eyes flashed with anguish and fury. "He betray Team Seven, he betrayed the bond of this village. He chose to spit on the foundations we have fought, lived and bled for. There is no controversy on the facts."

Danzo turned his gaze on her, forcing her to shrink slightly, still her defiance was commendable. He turned his gaze from his fellow Elders to Tsunade, as if to validate his concerns.

"What are our orders Hokage-Sama?" Naruto queried; Kakashi lingered in the background, lending support to his students.

"Your mission parameters are unchanged. As fortune would have it we managed to get a secure message from Jiraiya; Orochimaru has another base, a secure installation hidden somewhere in Kusagakure. He has managed to triangulate a rough area the base is hidden, but you would have do the final leg work."

Naruto nodded and Tsunade carried on.

"According to the Intel Orochimaru has already moved base, but it is still operational; given its supposed size it is not entirely easy to shut down all his operations. That means-"

"Scouting, fact-finding, information retrieval and assassination" Naruto finished. Sakura started slightly and then a slow smirk grew across her face.

Tsunade nodded in approval.

"I want that place cratered; anything to deny the snake further assets. Now as much as I would love sending just both of you, I would be more comfortable with a standard unit composition; Four-Man team. I can have Aburame Shino seconded again to your squad for the duration of this mission…" Tsunade trailed off.

"Shino would make a useful addition to the mission Hokage-Sama." Naruto stated, more than pleased with the choice.

"Good, we are still putting the mission profile together, report in tomorrow, zero-five-hundred, for full briefing. Kakashi, stay a moment; we need your insight on separate matters."

* * *

"Well, _Jonin Uzumaki Naruto_ " Sakura gushed at the title. Naruto made a face and she burst out laughing.

"So how does it feel?" Naruto cocked his head to the question, and gave a smirk.

 _Pretty damn good…._

Slowly the levity left them as thoughts went to their mission; their original mission.

"Will you be alright, Sakura?"

She subconsciously rubbed against her chest and retreated slightly. Naruto's hand came up to her shoulder.

"I'll gut him. Say the word and he won't make it back for interrogation."

"Like that there was any doubt, with you on the team" she smiled lifelessly. Naruto remained silent; left to him Sasuke wouldn't get the opportunity to crawl his way out of his charges.

"We need the information Naruto." she stated

"We need his head on a pike" came the swift reply. She looked away and said nothing; Naruto closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Fine, but trust me, if he even so much as twitches wrong, those eyes of him will make a good necklace."


	16. No Respite For Soon We Hunt

**_A.N. Hey all and welcome to the chapter. Just wanted to say; to my new follows and faves welcome, to all old hands welcome back._**

 ** _another chapter down and more to come; this one may be a little on the short side, but hopefully up to standard._**

 ** _as usual i'll answer all prev questions at the end of the chapter._**

 ** _Onwards to Glory._**

* * *

Another day. Another dawn. Another rising of the sun from the dark shadows, casting a vision of light and new hope.

"The Kazekage has almost fully recovered" a voice rang out in the silent cave. "According to the reports he should be at full capacity within the week."

The figure seemed encased in a massive Venus flytrap, the most distinctive feature about him, along with the fact that his body seemed even split in two tones; one half completely chalk white, the other an infinite black.

"It is difficult to secure more credible data on the Kage" his voice seemed to undergo a change; the overall pitch and flow was lower, with a husk to it. "We intercepted several secure communications from Konoha, but their security protocols are getting harder to crack. Suna itself is difficult to enter, especially considering the heightened security and my own constitution."

The central figure of the group nodded at the appraisal; Zetsu's composition made him a walking plant, in the forests and woodland areas he was very much at home and concealment was as easy as breathing. Suna was a desert, barren for miles, hiding was next to impossible, not to mention the risks of dehydration and wilting. Such a shame as he was one of their best spy tools.

Speaking of,

"And have we news on Sasori?" eyes blinked all around; Deidara shifted slightly in place with a frown.

"No word on Sasori-Dana. I can't even get a lock on his ring" The mad bomber flexed his new hand; the lingering sensitivity was a pleasant distraction to the tedium of the meeting.

"I was able to trace him into Grass Country" The black half of Zetsu growled out, the White half nodding their joined head. "But then I lost his mark; he has either gone to ground or something else….given who owns the territory."

"Orochimaru" Intoned the first voice, the leader of Akatsuki. His concentric grey orbs swept through the cave, burning with unmatched intensity.

"The snake worries himself with what we might do, for now he is contained" the Akatsuki leader said dismissively, "Sasori's loss is of some concern, his spy network is a distinct advantage, losing it would put a severe dent in our operations".

"Deidara" The clay bomber perked at the address, but then grew sullen as the address filtered through him, "You will stay back for the time being. A replacement for Sasori will be tasked to you momentarily."

The Akatsuki leader didn't wait for confirmation before turning to two other members.

"Hidan, Kakuzu. I need you to further disrupt the economic flow. Any and all missions you can get done at further discounted rates. Dry up the market as best you can."

"Our treasury will take a serious hit from that action" Kakuzu monotone echoed around the cave. "At the moment we have expended two-thirds of our revised budget; twenty percent more than the original estimates. We need to build up our contingencies or we will be forced to utilise our reserves, and those were not meant to sustain for any significant length."

The grey orbs glowed slightly as the owner nodded.

"Find significant bounties, take the rewards. Then dry up the low level markets. That will still cause more problems for the major nations. We need to keep them busy and disorganised. The six tails has also been found; for now we will monitor and try find more leads on the others still missing."

* * *

 _Kusagakure – Orochimaru's Base_

The steps were disjointed, jarring and aggressive. It fit the darkness that seemed to permeate from the owner. As he drew ever closer to the base, sentries and otherwise could tell of his presence and immediately made themselves scarce.

It would do no good to be caught under the gaze of the mad Uchiha.

If Sasuke realized that everyone went well out of their way to avoid him he didn't care. The pain in his skull was an all-encompassing feeling. All that mattered was that he delivered the message to the Snake and then made his way to the pit.

Movement fleeted on the edge of his sight; like a rabid hound he acted.

A small shriek of fear echoed loudly to his ears. In his hands was gripped a slip of a girl, one of Orochimaru's researchers, from her attire and the contents spilling to the floor.

"Please, Sasuke-Sama" he paused as a soft pained voice sounded to his left. He tossed a blank gaze and met the tear filled eyes of one of the Snake's ninja. Said ninja was on his knees, trembling softly, yet desperately meeting his gaze. The eyes flickered ever so often at the slowly turning blue figure in his hand.

Sasuke release his hold slightly; allowing just enough air for her to breath, but left her dangling in place. He cocked his head at the kneeling ninja.

"Who is she to you?"

The ninja swallowed and bowed reverently.

"I am her brother. Please Sasuke-Sama, take my life it would please you; just let her live." The figure bowed low and then quickly looked up. Sasuke could see his pulse quicken, yet he made no move to act; both were well aware, if he made a single move, his sister's life would be forfeit.

"She is all that I have left. We had nowhere else to go. I beg you, leave her be and take mine as compensation." His voice hitched, growing ever softer; his next words echoed loudly through Sasuke.

 _I swore to protect her; Kami please, I swore….._

 ** _I swore to avenge my Clan. Kami bear witness to my oaths…._**

A soft keening came from the girl hanging from his grip. Sasuke looked at her and was shocked at the pleading in her gaze. Her hand gripped his softly and her head shook stubbornly. She spoke but his grip muffled the sounds; however to his Sharingan the words were clear.

 _Please leave my brother alone. Take me instead._

Sasuke stood blank; suddenly his hand open and the girl gave a soft gasp as she was suddenly loose. Her brother acted like lightning, catching her before she fell.

"Thank you Sasuke-Sama" he intoned with heady relief. He held his sister's shaking body to his chest, rocking her gently. He looked Sasuke in the eye again; fear and resolve swam with equal measure.

"My word still stands Sasuke-Sama. If you wish it, my life for my sisters" he ignored her keening as he stayed firm before the Mad Uchiha.

"I accept" a soft parting of wind sent a flinch through both siblings, only to blink in confusion as a slow scraping sounded, followed by a firm click.

Sasuke's had rested on the hilt of his blade, a blade no had realised had been drawn in the first place.

"As of now your life is mine; you are my personal attendant, as payment for your sister's life. As you are her protector and carer both of you belong to me." Sasuke brushed passed both siblings, his headache mostly subsided.

"I will inform the Snake of your new stations; she can remain on his research team. As for you" Sasuke glanced back at the older brother, his Sharingan spinning infinite webs "I despise oath breakers. As my attendant you will not be allowed to fail."

Neither sibling could do much but stare in shock. Sasuke himself couldn't understand what spawned this new level of madness.

Either way it didn't matter.

"My retainers are not to be idle" The warning resonated in the siblings. Hastily they rose; with quick deferential bows they hastened to carry out their duties.

Sasuke blinked rapidly, trying to understand why he was so out of sync. Either way what was done was done; if they turned out to be useless then they would die.

Sasuke turned back to his original destination; the Snake was going to get an earful, Uchiha Sasuke was no errand boy.

* * *

 _Konoha_

 _"_ _I'll gut him. Say the word and he won't make it back for interrogation."_

 _"_ _Like that there was any doubt; with you on the team…We need the information Naruto."_

 _"_ _We need his head on a pike"_

 _"…_ _..Fine, but trust me, if he even so much as twitches wrong, those eyes of him will make a good necklace."_

Naruto reined in his fury as he went through his medical; it would do no good to upset the Medic Staff. Logically he knew capturing Sasuke alive could possibly net them a lot of information on Orochimaru.

Scratch that; it would _definitely_ provide a wealth of information, much of which Konoha sorely needed.

The thing was though, Konoha was just as good at fishing information out of dead people too; obviously not as much as the living, but dead men do tell tales just the same.

And he so wanted Sasuke dead.

It wasn't personal; Naruto could freely admit he didn't like the Uchiha, never had done, but they were a team and so he put up with him. The problem had been the profile and shadow cast by the Uchiha name. It had nearly tainted everything he worked for; at least to Naruto's mind.

But the worst; the absolute worst, was that he stabbed someone Naruto cared about.

Family was important to Naruto. Sakura had grown up, she went from an insecure fangirl, to a determined young rookie, and then a potentially deadly and worthy shinobi. She had changed. She did her very best to save Kazuki and Umeko. That alone made her family, and their bond had only grown as they spent time together.

Sasuke tried to take what wasn't his; he tried to murder someone Naruto called Kin.

There was no forgiveness for that. There could _be_ no forgiveness for that.

"Uzumaki-San" a soft voice drew him out of his dark mood. Naruto quickly shifted gears, opting for a calm and disarming poise.

"Forgive me Suzume, I was lost in thought"

Suzume merely smiled softly, a look of understanding on her face. Once again Naruto wondered how some one could be so, endearing, for a lack of a better term. As far as he knew she was always polite, helpful and warm. He'd never heard of her raising her voice to anyone and so far most people took to her presence.

Naruto included.

"I understand Uzumaki-San. The check-up is complete, your recovery i must admit is really quite fascinating" she added with a wistful tone.

Naruto smirked and his eye flashed.

"I that a request for a more...detailed examination?"

Her face burned at his words and words failed her. Naruto chuckled quietly for a few moments while she fidgeted with embarrassment. As she hurried to pack away the medical equipment Naruto quickly intercepted.

"Peace, it was merely light humor. I will stop" Suzume bit her lip, still read faced but nodded in thanks.

"The final report will be available tomorrow; from your briefing you experienced no real genjutsu attacks, however you were subject to a number of toxins. despite your robust immune system i will recommend an A-Class flushing solution and rest. if you can avoid it, no missions for a fortnight."

Naruto snorted. Suzume slumped, as if expecting such a reaction.

 _Why do i even try?_

* * *

After leaving Hospital, Naruto made his way quickly back to his home. Bypassing the main house he went straight to his workshop. The size had been expanded a fair bit, considering he had more puppets and needed more workspace for his Shadow Clones.

As he entered he took in the noise and bustle of activity.

"You really should be careful Taichou" A clone cautioned as he stepped close. "I know you have recovered much since Suna, but all the same making us as you did is pushing it, even for you."

Naruto nodded at the rebuke but remained silent. There weren't that many clones, around forty in total. Still the sheer amount of chakra in each one was beyond staggering, matching the output of several Ninjas Naruto knew by name and reputation.

"My chakra cap has risen again" The clone sighed at the statement and closed its eyes; slowly it nodded.

"Yes, the battle with Sasori was significant. When you add the Kyuubi to the mix the stress your body went through would have killed others of lesser constitution."

Naruto chuckled as he raised his left hand and made a fist. Chakra sprung to life, dancing all around and through the limb; his right prosthetic was still missing, damaged from his battles.

"The perks of the Uzumaki."

The Uzumaki Clan were well known for their strong bloodline. They had robust chakra networks and longevity that left other envious; the Uzumaki's were known to only grow stringer with age, time was always an ally to the vibrant clan, never an enemy.

Naruto's Uzumaki bloodline ran deep, and this was all before taking into account the Kyuubi.

Also…

"My range and sensitivity has gone grown again. It is as much a pain as it is a boon" Naruto sighed and dragged his fingers across his nape. With a soft pulse of chakra a seal slowly faded to light; the outer boundary was almost gone, while the inner seal seemed to be barely hanging on. Naruto gave a glance to his clone and it nodded. Quickly it moved to the door and ran its hand over the frame.

Chakra sang through the air and seals flitted into view. As the barriers snapped into place Naruto broke the seal on his neck.

For an instant he flinched, then relaxed visibly and took in a deep breath.

"That was unpleasant"

To Naruto the world seemed even duller than ever. His perception was very much a part of him and he couldn't remember the last time he wasn't sensing something, anything. Turning it off was like being fully blind, or even deaf.

The flipside however, was sheer sensory overload. The mind could only take in so much at a time and Naruto's habit of engaging his senses constantly sharpened its edges at an accelerated pace. What's more, the depth of his sensory ability was not to be dismissed; Naruto had gone beyond merely sensing chakra and base emotions, he could emulate them.

With enough exposure, Naruto could reflect on a near perfect scale whoever he was sensing.

Added to that was his fascination with the flows of chakra, he could spend hours merely observing with more than his 'eye', feeling the shifts and eddies of another's chakra, the older, the more powerful, or the more active the better.

All of this had a very real side effect; psychosis, and madness.

Still, as long as he didn't overreach himself, and built up a level of tolerance to each new sensory range and skill; he could stave off the worst of any possible degeneration.

It was all about control; discipline, fortitude as well, but above all, control.

"Where are we with the puppets?" Naruto turned back to his clone, struggling not to engage his perception. The Clone pursed its lips and sent a short burst of chakra. Immediately all other clones paused their activities and took stock. A network of chakra strings fired from each clone to the others, information was pooled, collated and verified; one of the clones straightened and disengaged.

Naruto's eyelid fluttered as he processed the information.

His Goliath class puppet was gone. So too were the bird puppets and wolves. His Valkyrie class somehow only managed to suffer cosmetic damage, but that was probably due to the fact that the bird puppets ran interference for it, plus they were high up and so didn't face the bulk of Sasori's attacks.

His Lightning class puppet was also a complete right off, the Warmonger class needed extensive repairs, same with the Scorch class puppet, and the Frost class might as well be rebuilt from the ground up. The Stalker class and Banshee class were undamaged.

 _Soprana…._

Naruto shook the name out of his head, fixing the thought of Banshee class firmly in mind. it would do him no good to name his puppets, not any more.

"We made enough spares to get the beast types off the ground quickly. They are already sealed and ready for action" His clone passed him the scrolls, before turning back to the work tables. "The others though are going to take longer, even if you make more clones; you can only have so many working on them."

Naruto nodded, brushing his hand over one of the Frost class frames.

"See of you can get at least either a Scorch-Class or Warmonger ready, preferably both. If I thought it possible I would say get Frost done as well but no pressure."

Naruto sighed again, willing away the subtle aches. He was going to have to play it relatively safe the next mission, at least until his puppets were done.

"You know-"His clone began cautiously, almost hesitantly, "You still have one puppet. More than viable and significantly adaptable."

Naruto stiffened at the words but made no comment.

"Would you not consider it? Especially with whom your next target is?"

…

"Why do you hesitate? He is rea-"

"It!" Naruto snapped out, "Not He! It!"

"He is ready" the clone steadfastly carried on. "I know why we fear, but I disagree with our stance. If he has no purpose then destroy him and be done with this." After a scoff of disgust the clone dispelled.

Naruto hissed in fury; with a wave of his hand all the other clones dispelled abruptly; for a brief moment he blacked out.

More than half of them agreed with the statement; the others felt just as he did, in varying degrees.

It was an old argument he had with himself, though it lent a new perspective when his clones joined the mix.

Naruto knew he was procrastinating, and he was well aware if he carried on for much longer he would dither about until he found something else to enable him to 'put off' his confrontation.

 _Confrontation…._

He scoffed at the thought, but that was exactly what it felt like.

He steeled himself, and moved to the back of the workshop, into a small alcove, purpose built and veiled off.

He parted the veil; his heart skipped a beat at the sight.

 _Hello Byakuya…._

 _…_

There, in all its resplendent glory, was Naruto's first guardian. His first warrior and protector.

His inspiration, his mentor.

 _His Truest Friend…never to abandon him._

 _Not like he abandoned him…._

Naruto didn't realise he feet had carried him over to the stationary puppet. The puppets hood, though frayed, looked well cared for, as were the robe like trappings that concealed its legs. Minor rents and tears littered the garment, but lent it appeal. The chest as always was bare.

Unlike his new puppets, Byakuya's design and aesthetics remained untouched. No fibre bundles, no chakra reaction gel. Other than a general upgrade to the frame and weapon protocols, Byakuya looked exactly the same towering figure as ever. The figure was angled as such it seemed look down on him, so much so Naruto felt like small child again, seeking his protectors approval.

 _Forgive me?_

 _…_ _._

 _Will you still serve by my side?_

 _…_ _.._

 _…_ _.._

 ** _…_** ** _..I never left._**

Naruto blinked rapidly, sensing something was different about the room. He sharpened his focus but nothing seemed amiss. Taking careful stock he circled the room until he went back to Byakuya.

That was the major difference.

Byakuya was no longer upright. The puppet had dropped to one knee; even then it seemed fill the room. Its hands had split into their four handed configuration.

The lower left was placed fist first on the ground, the upper left met with the lower right, clasped together as if in prayer. The upper right held onto the beast of a weapon; the Hades Forge.

Hades Forge was a sword and shield that interlocked to form a massive war axe. The shield face had a grill-like design and both shield and sword were fashioned with resonance and heat sealing scripts to up their potency. The weapon was currently in axe configuration, with the head planted down on the ground.

Naruto's heart quickened and he fought hard from taking a step backwards.

Byakuya was his favoured puppet; his chosen. He had spent more time with this one more than all the others combined.

Byakuya was supposed to be inanimate. He provided the animus. Without Naruto, there was no Byakuya.

Naruto flinched as cold hands seemed to fall on his shoulders, cold metal hands.

 ** _…_** ** _.I have never left. I will serve, always as you intend._**

 ** _Your will is my own._**

 ** _…_** ** _.Have no fear._**

 ** _Whatever you decide, I will….._**

"Please" Naruto whispered his voice so very vulnerable. His eye was closed tight. This was a far cry from the confident refined ninja from earlier.

"Are you real? Are you…a-al-alive?" Silence reined heavily, painfully. "None of the others act as you do, save maybe…."

"Please Byakuya….i need you, but I am afraid."

...

"Byakuya?"

Silence was the only response. Naruto closed his eye again, warring internally with himself.

Byakuya was his oldest puppet. Much of its part had been recycled through it so many times it was more original than any of the others. Naruto had bled over this one puppet, working on it personally, than utilising his clones.

He poured a large part of himself through Byakuya. So it had been a surprise to find his connection to the inanimate object to be a tad….odd.

He wasn't sure when it started, and the subtle gaps in his thoughts and memories didn't help. Like just now; how had Byakuya gotten off his-, _its,_ stand and on its knee, without him being aware? His situational awareness was impeccable, one thing he prided himself.

But it never seemed to help with Byakuya.

Worse still, the gaps were growing more frequent, or more like Byakuya seemed to be… _more,_ each time Naruto interacted with it.

That was why he started to limit his interaction, why he refused to name any of the others and change much of their parts and systems as often as possible.

But not Byakuya. Never Byakuya.

Naruto took a deep breath and slowly let the air out. He reached up with his left hand and ran a finger down the right side of his neck. A storage seal etched into the skin, pulsing softly. Naruto felt the pattern emerge from his palm as well.

He turned around to face Byakuya.

He found the puppet fully upright; his feet stood shoulder with apart. all four hands gripped the sword-haft of the giant war axe. Under the hood, through the slightly damaged mask Naruto could make out the glinting orbs.

One orange; one purple.

For something so lifeless, it felt very much like a living thing.

Naruto reach out and placed his palm on the puppets chest.

Has the seal took effect, Byakuya's head dropped a fraction of an inch.

Naruto blinked rapidly; for a moment it seemed something flashed through the mismatched orbs.

A flutter of chakra and he was gone, sealed away until called for battle.

Naruto could feel his heart pounding; he could feel his limb trembling.

 _Focus…I need to Focus._

Naruto brought himself under control; he needed to keep it together, get Sasuke, bring his corpse back to the village, and carry on as normal.

He had worked too hard and had much to lose; if anyone ever found out he was going cra-

 ** _IT IS NOT THEIR CONCERN!_**

True, but the upper echelons may not look favourably at his….issues. Best get Sasuke out of the way; everything else could be sorted later.

* * *

 _ **A.N - Another chapter done and dusted. Quick thanks again to all of you and now for the Q &A, only 1 this time i think.**_

 _ **Seta88 Chapter 15 - I read through the manga and wiki again and confirmed something that bugged me; Sarutobi told Itachi that he wont change the barrier formula, so the Uchiha could get in and out without triggering it. Also in the chunin exam, Orochimaru was in and out of that thing like it wasn't even there, that means he either knew the code or had a way to bypass it. That is why Sasuke was with his spies; they knew from Orochimaru, and he had Sasuke kill them so only he and Kabuto know. Until the next spy. Pain saw the barrier but didnt have the code so he triggered it in the manga/anime.**_

 _ **Vincent Argeneau, JokersLastLaugh, raikouplush, and any knew reviewers i might have missed out; welcome to the family and thanks for the support.**_

 _ **as always if you can please C &C, let me know when i've messed up or done something right.**_

 _ **catch ya on the next one.**_


	17. Our Hunters Are Ready

_**A.N. - Wow, 161 faves & 246 follows as at posting, with 105 reviews. i would like to say thank you to all o you for what for me is massive support. its more than i really expected and i am genuinely thrilled by the comments and PMS.**_

 _ **Also want to note the 486 follows & 416 faves of the original story; if you are in with this or know someone from there then a big shout out to all of you. **_

_**Thanks for making this a pleasure to write.**_

 _ **As always comments and critiques welcome, call me out when i'm getting sloppy.**_

 ** _One final thing, just a minor challenge i'm posting at the end of the chapter, for the well know char habit._**

 ** _Onwards to Glory!_**

* * *

 _Konoha – The Roots of the Great Tree_

A soft rhythmic tap echoed loudly across the stone floor.

"I underestimated the Slug Princess. She is more tenacious than I gave her credit for." Silence was the only answer.

"She has come perilously close to disrupting some of our operations. I do not enjoy leaving my fate in the hands of fortune; that Orochimaru's spies and others alike have been the only thing barring us from her grasping is as much a boon as it is a curse" the tapping stopped in the darkness, "Fortune may not always be with us."

With barely a sound two figures appeared beside him.

"No more loose ends. I will give no more warnings." Both figures nodded at the command.

"And what of the other matter?" A folder was brought to him. Even in the dark the contents were scanned and processed.

"This might be an unexpected benefit to us. See to it he does not return in the immediate future; for now one of our own will be beside him. From there we will monitor the situation and plan our next move.

The figures bowed and departed.

The tapping resume; Danzo's mind was a whirl of possibilities.

* * *

 _Danzo!_

Tsunade felt the veins on her forehead pulse; her temper was frayed again. And again, two Chunins came in with a replacement table; she was going through them so quickly their suppliers were having to revise their profits for the next fiscal year.

"That one-eyed parasite!" She seethed as the Chunins left. The ANBU Commander sat in place unflinchingly, even as wood splinters had flown all about him.

"There is no clear evidence of his involvement." The withering glare sent his way did nothing to ruffle the Veteran Commander. "Wild accusations will not strengthen your position Hokage-Sama. More to the point it could very well tip what little hand we have, by then Danzo would shore up his defences and we will have nothing."

The angry air gave way to tense irritation; a vast improvement from before. Still the Commander felt the need to stress his point.

"We have lost this round Hokage-Sama. Let us move to the next battlefield."

Tsunade visibly calmed and sat at the newly replaced desk.

"Naruto reported shortly after his return that he was under surveillance. Aside from our own trace Danzo has him under observation, and it seems all the warnings Naruto sent has only made the old dragon more subtle in his actions."

The ANBU Commander nodded at the assessment.

"A number of our own have come under suspect, however few of them are very good agents, some of the best. Danzo is nothing if not thorough and to remove them now would potentially cripple the Corps. Not to mention for everyone we find, another has slipped the net."

"We know Uzumaki is one of his targets, the title of Hokage is another. Much of his efforts are tabled simply because of your rather aggressive stance; far removed from Sandaime's…preferred methods."

Tsunade snorted at the statement. Reviewing much of the work of her late sensei left a slightly off taste in her mouth. Her old sensei had let things slip, and people had grown accustom to working around him whenever possible.

The ANBU Commander cocked his head at her snort, despite his neutral stance there was some disquiet at her reaction.

"The Sandaime was old. It was impressive he kept things going as he did; and he had not anticipated retaking a position he had departed, after experiencing so many significant losses."

"He had minimal support from his teammates; both of which had become alienated to him. His cold war with his rival weighed on him. And his students were nowhere close by to draw strength and support from."

Tsunade narrowed her gaze at the soft rebuke, but said not a single word. Apart from Jiraiya and potentially the Elder Council, only the ANBU Commander had the uncontested right and capability to speak to her in such a fashion.

So far those times had been few and far between.

With the message clear the ANBU Commander resumed the original topic.

"Uzumaki is determined to cut the snake at the head, and from the data supplied he is the best asset for this mission. Danzo has ensured he has someone to fill the missing gap on the team; on this I believe a tentative concession would not go amiss."

Tsunade nodded, "Loathe as I am I agree. Shino has been attached to Uzumaki's squad, so we will allow Danzo to bring in one of his wind-up dolls."

A shark like grin appeared on Tsunade's face.

"I'm sure he is aware but accepts this as a calculated risk; Naruto is very good at twisting the mind, and pulling out information, especially when properly motivated."

The ANBU Commander nodded in agreement.

"And so we allow Danzo to provide that motivation; from there we will see what we can get." At that he stood, "I will task our agents abroad to keep abreast of the situation; we will ensure Jonin Uzumaki has a clear run on Orochimaru."

* * *

 _The value of a good rest is terribly underappreciated._

Naruto tested the mechanics of his right arm; flexing the muscle fibres and testing the full range of movement. A clone stood by, making minute adjustments and observations in a file.

"Try again" Naruto flexed, immediately noting the improved movement. The clone nodded in satisfaction and finished up its adjustments.

As soon as it pulled away another pair took its place; they held out Naruto's prosthetic arm and then over it they fitted armour casings, strategically placed over the forearm, biceps and triceps areas. The casings had several notches and grooves over them and the reason became clear as a third clone came up. Lightweight overlapping plates slotted into place, adding more defensive options to the prosthetic. Naruto brought the limb to eye view, testing to see if everything was in place. He focused on the fingers; immediately the fingertip casings slid open and downwards, revealing softly glowing razor sharp red talons.

All around the plates faint seal patterns emerged as chakra ran softly over the limb.

Naruto nodded his head in approval. He dropped the chakra output and the finger casing slid back into place. A passing clone handed him his shirt and wide sleeve coat.

With his coat in place Naruto raised his prosthetic limb again and took a slow deep breath. Around him his clones paused from their work and notes and looked at him with eager anticipation and caution.

Chakra rose gently from Naruto, and swirled around the prosthetic limb. Seal scripts lit up, travelling the length of the arm. Minor buffeting occurred as Naruto's chakra rewrote phenomena.

Space bent; the limb disappeared.

Around the shoulder weave of the coat, and the inside length, seal scripts hummed gently, faintly, with chakra. Naruto held his breath for several seconds. Then he gave a sigh of relief as the coat and shirt sleeve seemed to lose coherence and flopped down, the prosthetic no longer holding them upright.

"We did it" A clone to his left commented. Others nodded emphatically, with several resonating with more than usual chakra, as they sensed everything around Naruto. Chakra threads spanned the room, sending information to and fro at high speeds.

"We have had significant progress in bending and manipulation space" Naruto commented as he rolled his shoulder. It was a weird feeling and one he needed to quickly get used to, "But only for brief periods and actions. _Folding_ space as I have, and for the length of time I'm considering is going to be a challenge. The principles are more or less the same, thank Kami; we'll just have to see how it pans out."

The clones nodded, however one bit its lip.

"And if the spatial fold fails? What then? I mean, it could cripple our chakra network, or turn us inside out. We could just use genjutsu to hide the arm if necessary, easier on our chakra and with fewer risks."

Naruto rolled the shoulder again, all eyes watched as the sleeve flopped around useless.

"Genjustu can't account for the missing limb, and skilled users will break through the deception making that avenue moot. No, for this level of deception to work, I have to fight while I'm visibly impaired. Movements and actions will change, and so too will the reactions of my opponents."

"Plus, this arm type is experimental, it's not fully battle tested yet. The levels of connections required are greater than the previous one we used against Sasori and Kisame. It's not something we can seal up and then unseal in place, ready for combat. Spatial folding is the only way to hide its presence, while ensuring it is in place."

Naruto turned around and pushed through several clones, to his work tables were his puppets sat in various stages of repair.

The Warmonger Class was in working order. The tuning fork swords and saw blade weapons had been replaced with arms that ended with talons; six inches of razor sharp blades, meant solely for rending enemies. The armoured carapace had been replaced, as well as all the damaged sections of the puppet.

"The wolf puppets and the flyers are all set. Valkyrie Class has been inspected, along with the others. Scorch, Frost and Goliath Classes are still not ready. You're going to have to run this mission without them."

Naruto nodded slightly, it was to be expected; as good as he was he could only work up to two miracles a day, even that was pushing it.

He pulled out a scroll and moved to the centre of the room. A concentric circle made up of seal markings stood out on the floor; Naruto placed the scroll over the seal markings and both lit up with chakra. The scroll sank in a few inches and remained, pulsing gently every sixty seconds.

"That chakra charge should be able to keep you all going for the next few days, maybe more if you are careful." Naruto informed the thirty clones in the workshop. He cocked his head to the side; maybe it was time to expand again. Some of his clones were literally hanging off the walls or the roof beams.

Thought for another day.

* * *

At the same moment Naruto was testing out with his clones, Sakura was in one of the more remote training grounds. Her body was tense with activity, her breathing controlled with effort. Her chakra sang through her veins and her mind worked in tandem with her instincts.

With every shift, with every move, her body seemed to melt and flow, patterns and shadows scattered and fractured around her; hiding her motions and creating a kaleidoscope of infinite colours. She continued to shift from one stance to the next; one kata after another.

Slowly she paused, cocked her head, and then waited.

A figure rushed towards her, intent clear.

Sakura's focus sharpened; she jerked her head to the side, her fist already moving to intercept. Her blow missed but she was in a favourable position to follow up. Her arm tensed; her opponent made to counter but instead her knee rose and made contact.

Rustling told her more opponents were on route. She quickly spun her current opponent, holding him in place. Behind her the earth rumbled, an outcrop shaped as a wedge rose sharply. Sakura smirked at the hisses and curses at her jutsu; pressing her limited advantage she kicked her prisoner into his allies and quickly melted into the earth behind her.

One of the figures pulsed hard with chakra and cocked his fist back; in a furious blow the makeshift barrier shattered.

More rumbling occurred; the second opponent only managed to step back in shock, just as a circular wall sprung up, blocking him from his teammates. A flash of pink appeared ready to strike. Instincts took over and he deflected the blow, only to stumble as he went through the strike.

 _After-image? Unreal!_

Before he could plan his next move Sakura had him gripped in a vice lock; her legs wrapped firmly around him while her hands were around his neck and over his nose and mouth.

"Don't breathe deeply". Instinctively he did the exact opposite, before cursing himself. Large amounts of military grade chloroform filtered through him, designed to quickly incapacitate ninjas; had that been used on civilians chances were they would end up in a coma.

"You bitch" He managed to slur out before nirvana claimed him.

"Love you too, Ikada-Senpai" Sakura whispered dryly at her unconscious teammate. With him secured she moved swiftly unto phase two of her stratagem.

Chakra pulsed as she ran through several handseals. The wall rumbled again; outlines formed in the mass, breaking off into several segments and blocks.

With a roar Sakura pushed her arms outward. Immediately the earth blocks shot out in all directions, forcing her opponents to take evasive actions. A figure swayed passed the incoming blocks, from the movement pattern Sakura knew it to be Mogi. It was strange that the other female would rush into combat, especially seeing as she favoured engaging from a distance. As she turned her attention to Mogi the hairs on her neck stood out as another presence made itself known behind her.

Through it all however, her smirk never left her face.

The figure behind her started with a sweeping kick. Sakura let the blow carry her to the ground. Just before she could hit her left hand caught her fall; with a quick jerk she was moving into a spin. Meanwhile her right index and middle fingers pointed vaguely at Mogi and jerked upwards. An earth spike rose sharply from the ground, forcing Mogi to either abort her charge or redirect.

With her speed she redirected, just as Sakura hoped.

Sakura completed her spin, her right leg trailing for a heavy blow. Her new opponent jerked back a step avoiding the blow, before moving in for a strike. In his haste he missed her left leg trailing behind the right. The blow was a solid hit, sending him spinning, his back now towards Sakura.

Despite this his recovery was impressive. He shifted his stance with his momentum and came in for a sideways kick, just as Mogi crossed the distance for a heavy blow; classic pincer manoeuvre.

The earth underneath her palm rumble and rose up, carrying her into the air. Just as they made contact with the mass the earth softened, allowing their limbs to pass through, before immediately hardening trapping them in place.

Pushing off from her handstand she left the two trapped and sped off, in search for her next target.

* * *

"You have gotten better Sakura" Takada commented from his perch to his pink haired subordinate. Sakura lay on the ground, panting in exertion. She had managed to hold of six of them for the better part of ten minutes; that she even made it passed the seven minute mark was a testament to her skill and tenacity.

Ikada had grumbled considering he was the seventh member against her and had been taken out early. Sakura had been determined to blitz the team and disable as many as she could before they could mount a proper offensive.

The only problem was Takada had been her commander, and helped hone her skills; he knew everyone he commanded like he knew himself. So it had been easy enough to bait her approach before engaging her seriously.

Still she put up an impressive offense.

"You've come a long way with your earth jutsus, but try not to depend on them too much. Keep them guessing, you're tough it's true but that can only carry you so far. If it weren't for your ridiculous genjutsu and footwork we'd be singing a very different tune."

Sakura managed a nod as she slowly rose to a sitting position. Training with Thirteen-Black was always a gruelling exercise. Normally they split the numbers but on occasion it was a test to see how long one person could last against a concerted strike. Sakura had known their timetable and sent out a message, requesting a training session with her as the primary.

The last time she ran that gauntlet she had been thoroughly trounced, in less than three minutes and by only two members of the team. Takada had then taken her, Mogi and Koka to the side and explained where she had gone wrong, using her two other teammates to showcase and reinforce the facts. She then participated in a few more runs, but with others as primary and her part of the attack.

So, for her seventh run she was infinitely pleased with her performance.

Especially so, seeing as Ikada had been the one to take her out in the first practice; she was only too happy to finally return the favour.

"So, how long until you return back to us?" Sakura turned to Koka. In a team filled predominantly by men Koka was one of two female shinobi; Sakura had made the third. Koka was covered from head to toe in shinobi gear, nothing exposed or revealing. That said, Sakura could just about make out faint scars around her neck and tattoos she knew covered every square inch companion, barring her face.

Koka had minor problems, especially with attachments. It often took a while for her to warm up to people and then had trouble letting go. She was utterly devoted to Thirteen-Black and Takada; everyone was painfully aware that the day the squad fell apart, would be the day she died.

Still she had gotten better, less clingy.

"I never left" Sakura said, rolling her shoulder. Her hair shifted, just enough to reveal a tattoo marking.

The squad mark for Thirteen-Black.

Koka's eyes gleamed and her posture shifted, revealing her half concealed mark. Overhead Takada rolled his eyes but the camaraderie simply oozed off him. Soon the other available members of the squad gathered round, milling together.

Sharing the silence together.

"Sun's coming up; It's time we head back, you have mission to complete." Takada broke the silence. He glanced at his pink haired subordinate, resolve in his orbs.

"Give 'em hell kid."

* * *

At exactly zero-five-hundred, Sakura and Naruto appeared at the Hokage Tower; one in a sparkle of pink cherry blossoms, the other shattering into existence. The duty Nins barely gave them more than a cursory glance before letting them in.

Tsunade was nose deep in several files, constantly shifting from one report to the other.

As they walked in Naruto felt another presence, several thousands of them.

"Shino"

"Naruto-Kun, Sakura-San"

"Shino-Kun" Sakura replied with a small nod. Shino returned the gesture; the two Jonins and single Chunin stepped towards the Hokage's desk and waited to be acknowledged.

"As you are aware this mission will take you deep into enemy territory. Fortunately Jiraiya's Intel has helped narrow the field of search. ANBU reconnaissance has also cleared a path for you."

"Naruto, you have full operational control; we are short on time so you will-" Tsunade was cut off as the door opened.

"Danzo, so kind of you to join us"

The elderly council member nodded in greeting and slowly shuffled into the room. A figure trailed in behind him.

In an instance Naruto's senses sharpened. Something about the figure gave him pause; from the body structure and movements he could plainly tell the figure was above average in terms of skill.

What really stood out however were the feelings behind the chakra. It was familiar enough; he had picked up the strange tones around the village, observing him on and off, but he never had the opportunity for a detailed analysis. The owner seemed to have a rough estimate of his skill and stayed firmly out of range, or disappeared entirely before he could be fully read.

The person was a dead-zone; a black hole that absorbed all emotion into its depth, leaving, oddly enough sticking with astronomy terms, an accretion disk of its passing. The figure might as well be a lifeless doll, a toy.

 ** _A puppet…._**

Naruto flinched hard and pulled away from the sensation. He ignored the sharp glances and focused on Danzo and his companion, a slight curl developed on his lips; his eye narrowed a fraction in dislike.

Puppets were sterile, simply because of their very nature. They were not alive, hence could not be expected to follow the course of the living; this _person_ was a living thing, and yet it felt dead inside. Not even Itachi, for all the Uchiha's calm and poise felt like a husk.

The very presence of Danzo's companion offended every fibre of Naruto's being.

"Is there something amiss, young Uzumaki?" Danzo's query brought him out of his haze. Naruto remained guarded but made a conscious effort to appear non-threatening.

"Not as such Honoured Elder, I just hadn't expected to match faces with one of my many shadows, this one much more persistent than the others." Danzo blinked at the rather blatant call-out.

"Naruto" a soft warning issued from Tsunade. Immediately his demeanour shifted; he become more deferential and gave a soft bow in apology.

Danzo nodded and the matter dropped, for a time.

"I have brought my candidate for Team Seven; his file should have been passed through your desk." Danzo stated as he slowly moved into the office.

"Greetings, I am Sai." The bland puppet spoke, offending Naruto even more. The smile that followed was very nearly the finale straw. "I look forward to working alongside you."

Sakura mumble out a greeting. Shino simply nodded. Naruto flicked his eye over the interloper and summarily dismissed him.

"The mission Hokage-Sama"

Tsunade nodded and tossed a scroll at him.

"All your pertinent orders are in there. If you haven't already I suggest each of you be fully prepped; I want you out of the village five."

"Find Orochimaru's base. Confirm priority target."

"Finish the mission."

* * *

 _ **A.N - Another chapter down, and finally we can move to Rice Country. After the heavy instance with Akatsuki and Sasori i thought everyone could use the break - that break is now over.**_

 _ **Also we have Sai on Team Seven - yay...**_

 _ **Speaking of the Sasuke knock-off; he has a habit of insulting nicknames for everyone - i cant think of one for Naruto. His original i feel does not apply so a new one is necessary**_

 _ **This is the challenge - can someone give me something, given both Sai's and Naruto's personalities, what do you see Sai calling him.**_

 _ **Also answers and comments to some reviews:**_

 _ **Guest Chapter 16 - You have a paranoid calculating individual who cares a lot about perception and reality - its not so much that Byakuya might be alive, but more how will everyone see him and how it will affect his chances at Hokage. He is predisposed to assuming the worst so he shies away from some issues while diving head first into others.**_

 _ **Scareace & RamenKnight - We shall see, soon enough.**_

 _ **Thanks again for your faves, follows, and comments.**_

 _ **Take Care and Fun Reads**_


	18. Against The Clock

_**A.N. I'm back - sorry for the extended break but i just couldn't find my focus. I hope you all like this chapter.**_

* * *

 _Konoha's Unseen Ones;_

 _Keepers of the darkness. The ones concealed in shadows, who support the great tree of Konoha from the deepest places of the earth._

 _The leaves may fall. The branches may break. The bark may scar. All may burn…._

 _But the Roots. As long as the Roots remain, deep within the earth, then Konoha may yet thrive._

 _After all, the Roots are the support of a tree, providing nourishment from shadowed places, storing wealth for darker times, and determining which tree outlasts all other competitors._

 _We are "Ne". We are Konoha's dark sons. We are the ANBU "Roots", keepers of the darkness._

 _We will never die out….._

* * *

 _You know your assignment….failure is not an option._

Sai blinked as the attention of his new "team" fell on him. He shifted slightly and the calibrated his expressions; his eyes closed and a _smile_ grew on his face.

"Hello, I am Sai; it will be interesting working with you."

Although not a sensor Root's training was very thorough. He had learned to pick up subtle physical cues from his opposition.

Sakura was the easiest; her dislike was rather blatant, along with her suspicions of his intentions. Shino was much harder to determine, still Sai could infer the Aburame was 'sceptical' to his presence.

Naruto however, would have made a fantastic Root.

Apart from the initial display in the Hokage's office, Sai could no longer determine anything from the Jinchuriki. It was like standing in front of a ghost; no physical cues or uncontrolled expressions.

With that said, something lingered. A soft ambiance; beating in tandem with his heart. And while Root eschewed emotions, they valued practical things like caution and sense, the uncommon kind.

Common sense got people killed.

Caution told him to be wary of the Jinchuriki.

"That remains to be seen, drone."

The words flew over Sai; with no emotions he went unfazed by the rather blatant aggression. Still it sharpened his focus. Sai opened his eyes and quickly noted the surprise in Sakura; Naruto's action clearly was unexpected, at least by the female member of the team.

Shino remained motionless, however a faint buzzing drifted from him. Naruto's seemed unmoved, but Sai got the impression it was a stand down request.

 _Interesting…_

"Ah, I assume this is the nickname stage. I had read of such things, but I didn't anticipate it would be this early in our acquaintanceship." Sai chirped. As he spoke he didn't miss the narrowed glare from the Jinchuriki. Also the physical tells that were missing were beginning to show. It seemed the longer he spoke the more aggressive the response he got.

Sai was about to continue when a sharp burst of chakra choked the words from his lips. Sakura visibly flinched and Shino tensed. The false smile faded from Sai and his eyes fully opened, dead but with frank appraisal.

Clearly the Jinchuriki had something against him, something that influenced his behaviour deeply. It would be interesting, not to mention informative, to find out what.

* * *

Outwardly Naruto looked calm, if not stern. Inside though he was furious.

The one thing he prided himself on was his control, rigid, uncompromising self-control. There were times when that self-control was tested, even broken. But he was quick to rally himself, analyse the situation and implement a solution of sorts.

Sai tested his control, simply with his very existent.

The vacuum in his emotional centre was unnatural. Whatever process Sai had gone through, the damage to his mind was significant, specifically dealing with emotions.

Feelings surged through everyone's chakra, even ones like Itachi and Sasori to name a few. Their emotions were tightly reined but Naruto could still feel them, perceive the echoes left in their passing.

Sai's felt like an emotional collapse, a dark dank void with dregs of battered vagaries and impulses. It was a chasm that stretched to infinity, a hungry expanse that threatened his own mental existence. It was a sense of 'other-worldliness', something that wasn't quite right.

To an average mind such a person gave an 'off' feeling, to ninjas it was more profound, triggering varying flight or fight responses.

With Naruto, especially as a gifted sensor it was _terrifying._ With powerful chakras and emotions he was at risk of being subsumed by them, losing himself to their sensations. Raw chakra and rage burned him, filling his mind with an all-consuming fury and battle lust. Even gentle chakras and emotions offered a different yet no less dangerous kind of trap, a sense of peace and serenity, in an unruffled vista. Older more experienced chakra sang with such history it drew out the scholar in him, seeking ever more to wander their depths.

All such roads led to madness.

In the case with Sai however his mind couldn't pull away quickly enough. It was another kind of madness; a blanket hysteria from running, trying to escape or destroy the source of his unrest.

To Naruto it was reason enough to be outright hostile. This thing was sentient but might as well be dead. He couldn't stand the feeling, and the false face made it even worse. It was trying badly to imitate life, hiding behind a mocking face.

The falsity was too much to stand. The fact that he bore the stench of Danzo was an added bonus to his dislike.

Still, they had pressing work to accomplish. He would bear with the drone, until it proved to be a detriment to the team.

* * *

Naruto turned and walked away from the Root agent.

"I have little regard for those who spy on me, without any warrant or reason to do so. I had thought my warnings would be clear-"He paused and turned slightly; his eye narrowed sharply. "Let your brothers and sisters know from here on out, I will tolerate your presence no longer. The next combat doll I sense I will _break._ "

Sai merely blinked. He remembered his own near miss while observing the Jinchuriki. Others that had been observing him also spoke of the same; how he would accurately determine their position, regardless of how well they disguised their signatures, and then launch whatever projectile was at hand. Once caught or suspected the Root agent would promptly withdraw. Rinse and repeat.

Now though it seemed the Jinchuriki was no longer content with simple warnings.

Naruto turned away again, his point on the matter made.

"We have our objective and our window is dwindling. We make for Kusagakure at speed; I'll brief you once we clear the border."

"Kusagakure?" Sai parroted as his eyes narrowed. Even Shino looked up in surprise. Sakura looked around in confusion.

"Otogakure is roughly north of Konoha. Kusa is on our western side." Shino queried softly.

"We are entering into the bad lands" Sai interjected his face bland but alert. "Kusa is very dangerous when it needs to be; their diplomatic ties and skills is not to be underestimated, considering their location it is justified."

"Also we have to consider the two villages that border them; Hidden in Rock and Hidden Grass. All three border on Wind Country, Fire Country and Earth Country. The geopolitical situation in those places shift rapidly; historically battles have been staged in those places simply due to their strategic influences. The villages there are hardened to constant conflict."

"It is good then we are not setting out to cause a diplomatic incident" Naruto replied. He took a quick look around before sighing and elaborating further. "Orochimaru has a secondary base, hidden somewhere in the territories controlled by Kusagakure."

"An impressive feat" Shino's tone held some admiration. "Given what we know he is using the country's political and strategic location to camouflage his activities. Kusa have some close ties to us so we risk damaging them by performing unsanctioned operations."

Naruto nodded.

"Except we don't have time to go through international channels. The Snake has us in a vice on this one; that said we have a limited window of retrieving our mission objective _now._ Given their movement patterns and Intel, we may not get another chance like this for a while."

Seeing the looks of understanding Naruto nodded.

"Good, let's move out."

* * *

 _Orochimaru Base – Territories held by Kusagakure_

There was a subtle pleasantness, floating idly in one of the many medical tanks in the labs. The noise of the outside world was kept at bay, the simulated weightlessness while drifting in the revitalising fluids. The almost transcendent feeling as time simply passed you by.

A sharp knock on the glass woke the dreamer.

As his eyes opened and his body shifted, the various scanners and equipment registered his awareness. Across one screen his vitals registered as all clear. With a hiss the tank prepared to open; the medical fluids drained slowly, allowing his feet to touch the ground. Several stimulants and other drugs pumped into him, waking him fully, exciting his muscles and nervous system.

With the tank fully drained the door opened.

"I would not have expected to find you of all people in the tank Kabuto" Sasuke looked over the white haired Nin with undisguised intensity.

Kabuto flashed a quick smirk but said nothing. Slowly he moved across the room, grabbing his spare clothes along the way. He felt Sasuke's gaze following him as he dried himself of the excess medical fluids.

"Well?" Sasuke called out. Kabuto turned to his as his shirt went over his head, one eyebrow raised.

"Are you going to keep silent? Or do I have to guess how you of all people ended up in that state?" Sasuke clarified.

"Ara, is that concern for my health I hear Sasuke-Kun. I must say it is an honour, flattering as well."

Sasuke scoffed and pushed off the tank.

"Very well, keep your secrets. Let the Snake know I have no desires to run his errands today. I have other business to attend to."

Kabuto lost the smirk and gave a small frown.

"Tread carefully with your words, young Sasuke. Disrespect can only be tolerated for so long. This power, this invincibility you seem to think you have, none of it would come about were it not for Orochimaru. Do not forget this in your hubris."

"The Snake and I have worked on a trade. He has delivered some, but until Itachi is dead, until my Clan has their due in blood, his, and yours, are but words." Sasuke crossed passed Kabuto. The air thrummed lightly with his volatile chakra.

"I left Konoha because _they_ were of mere words. Do not think yourselves so special."

Kabuto watched as Sasuke left the room. The Uchiha's attitude had been mercurial as of late, but overall it was worsening. And it was taking every ounce of guile to keep from wiping that smug attitude off him.

The problem was though Sasuke had reason for his overconfidence. He was strong, much stronger than Orochimaru and he had anticipated. His growth rate was phenomenal and he took to the training and medications like a bird with wings.

He could beat Sasuke, but only if he wanted to permanently cripple him.

Kabuto frowned again at the thought. Perhaps it was time to work on his own skills. Lab work was well and good, but he was letting his edge dull and that was a tragedy waiting to happen.

Kabuto looked over himself, satisfied with the presentation. He stepped to one of the many computers, as he did so his hand brushed over his glasses.

The lenses shifted. His hand paused. His breath slowed. His eyes flashed.

Time resumed; he tapped away rapidly at the keyboard, and looked satisfied with the results.

Sasuke wasn't the primary concern. The brat could do whatever he wanted. His medical details however would prove useful in his own research projects.

Among other things…

With a light spring Kabuto left the room, dimming the lights as he went to report to his Master.

* * *

The trip to the Land of across Fire Country was uneventful. On the way they linked up with one of the surveillance teams Tsunade had set up and had gotten more up to date details.

"There has been a hive of activity in Kusa territory. Nins bearing the mark of Sound have been scrambling under the cover of darkness. They are most likely scuttling this base." One of the watchers commented.

"What is our timetable?" Naruto queried sharply.

"Difficult to say" Another watcher shook its head. "Best guess, you have days. Fortunately we know the rough location. "They have been moving in and out of this area specifically" The watcher pointed to a marking in the map.

"One thing concerns me" The first watcher trailed in cautiously, "They aren't being subtle anymore. They are literally moving unchecked through Kusa territory….and unchallenged"

Silence reined. The new Team Seven narrowed their collective gazes at the implications.

"Has Kusa confirmed to be compromised?" Shino queried.

Another watcher shook its head.

"Nothing verifiable, but the circumstances cannot be overlooked. From what we have observed and gathered they were aware of an operation hidden in their lands. From the chatter a few days earlier their internal security spiked but then suddenly stood down. But they are tense; their border patrols have increased, oddly enough these places-"again they indicated to three spots on the map, "-have zero coverage, the closest one bordering on Fire Country"

Naruto perused the details with a critical eye and traced the points with his left hand.

"They know, or have a rough idea of who is moving in their lands" His words cut through the silence. He looked up to see nodding heads, the watchers had already come to that conclusion, and his teammates weren't far behind.

"Orochimaru is an international criminal, but even Kusa don't want to get tangled up with any mess regarding him, especially considering his exploits so far with Konoha and Suna. Those points were left open to get him out."

More nods. The lead watcher leaned forwards and spoke. "Internationally their position is somewhat solid. Still they are not going to remain passive for long. They are gearing to mobilise and that will draw attention. If they get word to the right people they avoid any backlash and potentially eject Orochimaru's operation to who knows where. And that is only if the Snake hasn't already completely moved on by then."

Naruto nodded decisively.

"Thank you for the update. Maintain surveillance, document as much of the political situation and send back to Hokage-Sama. My team will push forwards and complete our assignment. If anything seems amiss, report back to Command immediately."

The lead watcher nodded and his team faded into the background

"Good Luck, Jonin Uzumaki."

By the time they crossed into Kusagakure territory every member of Team Seven was geared up for confrontations. Shino had made contact with the local insect fauna, providing additional detail on movement patterns and impressions left by passing shinobi. Sai seemed relaxed; however his equipment had been reposition for easier access.

Naruto glanced as the scroll binding the Root Nin carried, along with several writing brushes and chakra laced ink. He hadn't anticipated such a combat style, but it was interesting and impressive. He couldn't wait to see it in action.

Sakura had merely checked her supplies and carried on. Naruto could feel her resolve, a strong base in her chakra, unmoving much like the earth she commanded.

He focused back on himself. His chakra was churned like the waters in an ocean. Powerful waves that threatened to spill over into violent storms. He was prepped. His puppets were prepped.

* * *

"Kabuto" A raspy voice called into the flickering light. The white haired Nin stepped further into the room and closer to the figure hidden in the dark.

"Orochimaru-Sama" He returned the greeting. His sharp gaze caught the state of his master; the feverish look in the still strong eyes, the clammy parlour and discomfort in his breath.

"The rejection process is taking its toll on you."

Orochimaru clucked, his eyes never leaving Kabuto. The Nin moved to a table, hosting an array of drugs. Deft hands mixed the dosages while taking note of the latest medical readings. The mixture was then carried over to Snake Sannin.

"We did not anticipate this. You are rejecting this body faster than any of the others. Also there is nothing we can do to halt or reverse the sensory disturbance and convulsions."

"Unacceptable" Orochimaru hissed out. His hand trembled, much to his growing fury, as he reached for the medication. As he clasped tight around the container the trembling grew even more violent, however none of the contents spilled. He brought the container to his mouth, his temper building the closer it got.

Until suddenly it was halfway across the room, finally smacking into the far wall.

"Unacceptable!" He roared. His chakra exploded out of him; sharp pain burned through all his receptors but along with the pain his fury grew. "Redo all the tests! Recheck everything! I will not allow this to be part of my fate Kabuto!"

Kabuto nodded but remained unmoved by the chakra or the rage. Smoothly he retrieved an Epi-Pen from his pouch and held it out to the Sannin. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed into slits and the hiss became more deadly.

A heavy silence then enveloped. Kabuto adjusted his grip and pressed it against Orochimaru's exposed arm. The contents emptied and began its work.

Orochimaru raised his hand again and the trembling seemed to slow. He glanced again at Kabuto, who had another container ready for him. He quickly snatched the container and in one gulp downed the contents.

"Your symptoms bore striking similarities to epilepsy, so our research went along similar lines. It was an oversight on our part. That said we did get some promising data and the new solution should prove viable for a much longer period. I will need some tissue samples now and again in forty-eight hours for comparison."

Orochimaru already had his hand outstretched. Instead of waiting for Kabuto however the skin around his neck seemed to ripple and stretch. A white snake slithered out, like lighting it darted and tore through his hand. Orochimaru was unmoved as the bloodied snake slithered over to Kabuto; he ignored the sigh from his spy as the samples were collected.

"Oversee the remainder of the clean-up." Orochimaru ordered as he tried vainly not to slump. Kabuto nodded and proceeded out the room.

"And Kabuto-"the Nin paused and turned slightly to face him "-ensure our guests receive a warm welcome. For now do not directly confront them, merely observe."

"And Sasuke?"

"Leave him to his devices. And I am rather curious to this little reunion."

"Who is stronger now; Uchiha Sasuke, or Uzumaki Naruto?"

* * *

"What did you just say?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"The base is underground."

Shino had his palm to the earth, surrounded by countless bugs. A millions feelers relayed information to him of the surrounding area, creating a virtual interactive map.

It hadn't been difficult to spot the disparities after that.

Naruto knelt beside the Aburame and slowed his breathing. He placed his hand on the ground and focused on his heartbeat and chakra. With more slow precise breaths he sank deeper into his senses.

He followed the echoes made by the bugs, but they were a maze of tracks and tunnels. Yet as he sifted through he could sense more powerful presences the deeper he went.

"He's right. Now that I focus there is a vast amount of chakra, almost directly below us" Naruto opened his eye and scanned the area. "There has to be an entrance nearby, hidden from prying eyes."

Shino nodded in agreement while Sai kept watch. He looked calm but Naruto could tell his unnatural teammate was on full alert. Begrudgingly he had to admit the stance and poise was that of a seasoned and experienced Ninja.

Sakura wound her arm as she considered the situation carefully.

"How deep do you think it is? Roughly?"

Naruto shook his head while Shino replied, "Deep. However I may have found a large open area, or at least several converging paths."

"What are you thinking?" Naruto asked as he observed the calculations running through Sakura's eyes. His eyebrows disappeared as she pulled out a soldier pill and promptly ate it. Her chakra spiked considerably and her hands went into seals.

"Everyone take a deep breath and try not to struggle; this is going to be a pain as it is." Her voice was strong, amplified by the chakra boost. Slowly she sank into the earth. Naruto first the earth shift around him and he too began the descent. He glanced at others, just in time to see them sinking as well.

"There is no way to be sure we will not be discovered. We might end up on top of enemy patrol" Shino deadpanned.

"Well we can't spend all day looking for any entrance" Sai spoke in what passed as cheer. "Personally I approve of this plan, quite ingenious in its own way; on the other hand if she has overreached herself we might end up crushed and flattened by the surrounding pressure. Or asphyxiate due to the lack of clean or even sufficient air and then die horribly, painfully even."

Naruto shook his head and bit back a scathing retort. They were almost fully submerged and already he could tell Sakura was making a path through the earth. He again marvelled at her proficiency with earth jutsus, far greater than his skill with the element; she was using what he tentatively dubbed a variant to the 'Head-hunter Jutsu' to move through the earth, whilst taking care to leave as few visible distortions or disturbances as possible. She was also taking care to keep the adverse pressure from them while traversing the various earth layers to the base.

At times she seemed to 'swim' around areas, rather than push through; Naruto attributed it to probably denser layers of earth, where going forward would be too difficult and dangerous. Already her chakra had taken a significant hit, and while it was bearable it was by no means a comfortable means of travel.

Still, surprise was mostly on their side. And once Sakura had done her bit they would quickly take stock, disable anyone who crossed their path and complete their objective.

* * *

Sakura ignored the tremble that shook her limbs. Shino hadn't exaggerated when he said the base was hidden deep in the earth. What he failed to realise was that bugs had significant time, in terms of their combined lifespans, _years_ to dig through the earth.

Orochimaru had chosen his location well. The stone was tough to move through and densely packed in several areas. She had to manoeuvre around the tougher areas, expending precious effort and chakra; the strain on her reserves didn't increase incrementally the further she went, but _exponentially._

Still, she pushed further into the earth, through the various layers of rock and dirt.

Finally she felt the area ahead was thin and uniform. Despite her fatigue and strain she slowed to a crawl. She opened a little hole, careful to keep the noise to a minimum.

A quick glance around and the area was secure. Sakura slowly pulled through the earth, stopping midway. She braced against the surface and focused on pulling her teammates; a faint rumble sounded as each one cracked through the dirt and stone.

"Next time you guys find your own damn way into the base" Sakura growled to her team. Sweat clung to her as she desperately tried to control her trembles. She ignored the whispered "good job" from Naruto as she pulled all of them the rest of the way through.

As they came free Naruto swept his left arm over the area. A subtle wave of chakra sped through the tunnel, muffling sound and diluting the senses of any who wandered through. He righted himself midway and dropped down silently; his gaze was alert and his stance wary.

Seconds later Shino dropped beside him. Immediately several bugs fleeted around him and flew off through the passages. Sai too dropped down, his tanto in hand.

Naruto glanced back at Sakura and beckoned her to join them. She shook her head slightly and her chakra flared. All eyes turned to her and noted the holes the came through slowly closing up, the area becoming indistinct from the surrounding rock face.

Sakura finally pulled herself free and sealed off her entry. With that done she let go and dropped the rest of the way.

A figure flashed; a series of clicks and rattles echoed. Byakuya intercepted the fall, cradling her in his arms before lowering her to the ground.

"Sakura, we can't stay here forever" Naruto quietly intoned as he maintained overwatch. He felt more than saw her nod, Byakuya help her back to her feet and kept her from swaying.

"I'm good now"

Naruto nodded and closed his eye again. Now they were in he could clearly read chakras that were hidden from him earlier.

"Orochimaru is here" Those words sent his team on high alert.

"Kabuto is here, along with Sasuke." Naruto paused and cocked his head. "Strange, there aren't as many as I thought, I had hoped to cause some discord, mask our approach and get what we came for. At best there are fifteen signatures." Naruto cursed silently and shook his head.

"My bugs have found what appears to be the exit and entry way" Shino indicated down the left side. He then swept to the right, "More tunnels and paths this way, along with several rooms."

Naruto nodded

"That's were all the signatures are focused." Naruto looked through his team and made his decisions.

"We move in low and fast. Orochimaru's chakra is weak but he is still dangerous. We move down this way and disable everyone we encounter, quietly."

"And what is our escape contingency?" Sai chirped as they began moving. "We're effectively in a box; rats in a maze. Death is really not on my agenda."

"It's not on anyone's agenda" Naruto threw back as the sped through the tunnel. Then he cast a sidelong glance at his pink haired teammate and nodded before speaking "That is our contingency."

Sakura nodded at the walls and roof, "For the most part these caves seem solid; Oto were very careful carving out this place and ensuring even weight distribution. Moving through I could tell large portions above us is open terrain." She shook her head clear and focused her breathing, "When it comes to it I'll bring the roof down."

"….Are you single? What do you bench press currently?"

Sakura stumbled, but immediately recovered. Her face grew red and she gaped at their crazy team member. Naruto turned to Sai, eyebrow raised. Even Shino gave off an aura of bemusement at the insanity of the Root Nin.

Sai miss all this as he mumbled to himself, "Butch? Possible, given she likes punching things, but no real build. Smasher? Maybe even Basher. Hulk…no, same reason as butch.

Sakura grew redder as the mutterings continued. Naruto snorted, remembering Sai's comments about nicknames; however his dislike was still evident. A hand reached for his shoulder and he sighed at the tacit support.

"Worry about your fetish later drone. We need to focus" He swept his gaze forwards, missing the surprised looks and byplay from his team.

So far they hadn't encountered anyone, but Naruto could sense two signatures moving along their path. Perceptions threads latched onto his team and fed them the sensation. Naruto kept them connected, letting a sense of anticipation build as they moved closer to their targets. Byakuya broke formation, moving ahead of the group in his loping gait.

As soon as the caught a glimpse Naruto reacted; his chakra flared and the space between them seemed to shrink. Byakuya launched between them, catching them completely off guard. Two senbons fired from his back, striking the base of the neck of the Oto Nins. Both froze, locked in place and unable to speak. Their eyes widened with fear as Naruto swept passed them.

 ** _SLEEP….._**

It was an overwhelming command, one they couldn't ignore. Like puppets with broken strings they crumpled to the ground, the command so strong it displaced all higher brain function.

* * *

His brush just stopped short of the scroll, a small drop of ink dangling precariously on the end.

Something was strange.

Red eyes revolved slowly, face suddenly pensive.

Something wasn't quite right. He didn't know how or why, but deep in his bones Sasuke knew.

* * *

The lack of activity around the base was a boon for Team Seven, despite the how unnerving it seemed. Still, it was only a matter of time before they were found out.

Thanks to Naruto they managed to avoid the populated routes and found themselves in one of the reserve storages. Most of the drawers were empty, bits and pieces of paper and data rolls strewn across the across the floor.

Sai immediately went for the files, only to halt as Byakuya blocked his path.

"Keep a look out." Without waiting for a response Naruto went passed the drawers and tanks and straight for the computer terminal. Shino traced the room but kept close to the door while Sakura looked over the bits of data left behind.

Sai unravelled his scroll; with brush in hand elegant scripts and patterns traced. With a quick pulse of chakra his drawings came off the scroll and over the walls, blending in well thanks to the flickering lights. Satisfied with the sentries he turned back to the room, only to find Byakuya still barring his way.

Sai blinked and cast a glance at Naruto. The Jinchuriki seemed fully immersed in his task from the rapid clicks across the keyboards. He turned back to Byakuya and focused fully on the puppet.

Something about it, felt almost like a kindred spirit.

They were both solidly still. No unnecessary movements or sounds, although in all fairness Byakuya cast a shadow that would make any Root green with envy. Every action from the puppet was deliberate and calculated; something Sai found refreshing.

It sparked a curious thought really; he hadn't realised just how uncomfortable it was, being around others so unlike himself.

Sai turned his gaze back to the puppets master; Naruto was a dangerous figure, and one he had to tread carefully around. Methodical and patient, striking swiftly and brutally, before fading into the shadows once more.

Pity, he would had made a great Root.

His sentry pinged softly, but Sai didn't react. He carefully panned around the room, taking stock of the team's reactions. Naruto seemed to be fully focused on the monitors, probably only peripherally aware of anything around him. Shino and Sakura had migrated closer to him, though Shino periodically had bugs coming and going.

Sai shifted position and looked down his scroll. Markings etched into existence over its surface. It seems several of his ink creations had managed find a service room, with controls to the power system for Orochimaru's base as well as the alarms.

Silent alarms.

Sai's face was as marble…

His hands shifted. Light swift strokes darted over the paper. A soft ripple spread across its surface.

Byakuya clicked rhythmically and Sai froze. A light ruffle from Naruto; his posture shifted, and then relaxed. Byakuya stood down. It turned away from Sai and prowled the room, as one confined, before moving to the entrance before going still.

Sai remain frozen. With economy he rolled up the scroll and moved further into the room.

 _Mission Part One….complete._

* * *

The candles provided poor light in this section of the base. A darkness and sense of death and despair pervaded the air.

Soft footsteps were like music to the ears of the occupants; hope had abandoned these ones. Fear and hatred was lost to many of them. Madness and instinct was all that remained.

Fallen as they were, even they knew the hierarchy.

Kabuto smirked as he looked on the cursed thralls of Orochimaru's failed experiments. They were to be abandoned in the base, having outlived their purpose.

Using them against Naruto would be therapeutic, if not satisfying.

Kabuto's smirk widened.

"Kabuto-Sama" a Nin appeared beside him and shivered at the oppressive air and the raw power of cursed seals warping chakras into frenzies, "The silent alarms have been tripped. Invaders has penetrated the base."

"That is not your concern. Complete the evacuation and take the last of the data to the new location. Have Orochimaru's suite and medical detail prepared for our arrival."

"Hai" the Nin departed.

"Naruto, as much as I would love to fight you personally" Kabuto's chakra pulsed and the cell doors opened.

"I am still a scientist, and I will enjoy observing every aspect of you for our next encounter."

* * *

 _ **A.N. And done, with the next one well underway.**_

 _ **As alway reviews, comments and critiques are welcome...**_

 _ **ill answer questions from the prev chapter and this one in the next.**_

 _ **Seeya all and thanks for the support**_


	19. Who is Our Target?

**_A.N. Hey all, been caught out by work and stuff. Haven't really had the time to write and simply enjoy its pleasures._**

 ** _Another chapter in and hopefully one more in a week - already have the ground work ready. No promises though._**

 ** _i'll also answer any questions i've missed and my usual shout outs._**

 ** _Thanks and I hope you all enjoy_**

* * *

 _There is perception in combat. Enlightenment in conflict. There is understanding in contention._

Sai ducked under a wild swing; like a viper his hand flashed out, twice. His target gasped and faltered. Sai ghosted passed; he grabbed his victim and swung him into another. He darted left, catching another off guard, ending the struggle with a well place kunai.

 _In the battle, and in bloodshed; the measure of a man truly comes alive._

Sai's eyes flashed across the room, taking everything in and planning accordingly. He jinked backwards, a clawed hand passed where his head had been. He ignored his assailant and backed into a corner, with Sakura's motions and Shino's placement he was content he wouldn't be followed. His scroll unravelled and his pen came alight.

 _Blood and Fire; War and Death._

 _Battle was nothing more than an extension of words; an extension of points of view._

 _Every fighter was an argument; every field was the debate. Arguments were traded, but ultimately one was correct. The one who lived was right, the one who died was wrong. As such it was important to hone ones arguments until they were razor sharp, capable of turning aside the seasoned blows of another's perspective._

Sai's pen danced feverishly over his scroll, his chakra dancing with the ink and alive over the pages.

His heart pounded to the strokes of the pen.

Somewhere, deep within, something stirred.

 _But battle was more, much more, than conflict of ideas._

 _In battle a man's very thoughts came alive. His expression lay bare. To dance with the dice of death, on the one hand for glory or duty, but on the other, the eternal sleep. Every action taken, every move made…._

 _All had a price….all had a consequence._

A ghost of a smile lit Sai's face; his eyes flashed briefly, hidden by the flare of his chakra. The ink on his scroll came to life.

 _In battle, the measure of a man is truly free…._

* * *

Naruto refused to admit, but Sai's presence had compromised his sensory abilities more than he liked. It was difficult focusing on anything _other_ than the Root Nin, his presence such a dark miasmic void in his mind; something both fascinating and horrifying.

So he could be forgiven for missing the initial warning signs as the oppressive chakras hidden below started to react in volatile patterns and shift around the massive base. When the power cut from the room however, that sent his team into battle stances.

The next rush of chakra couldn't be ignored. Naruto's eye widened then narrowed sharply; he spun sharply to his team, his own chakra rising in tempo.

"Form Up!" The words came too late. An explosion rocked the room, sending stone and glass hurtling around, along with a wave of concussive force.

Naruto snarled; his eye flashed red briefly and his chakra tinged. His right hand swept over, sending out a sharp pulse of chakra.

 ** _Bend!_**

His teammates had dropped low at the explosion to avoid debris and splash damage, and Sakura and Sai had flinched hard as his raw chakra swept over them. The sudden silence drew the short; Sakura took a steadying breath and looked up.

Her jaw dropped. Shino had both eyes raised and his hands were slack.

"He's, how do you say? Got solid brass ones?" Sai cocked his head "or was it balls of titanium? I'm not really up to date with pop culture, too many conflicting expressions, why someone can be called 'smokin' one minute then cool the next-"

"Sai" Sakura cut in, "Shut up".

Naruto held a smirk; a bead of sweat rolled down his brow, only to be brushed away by several strands of hair. Ripples of hair and chakra fleeted around him, conducting a symphony only he could understand, but everyone saw the effects.

All around the room the debris from the explosion moved and twisted in unnatural patterns, seemingly ricocheting all around the barely standing room. The very space around them rippled like water; some of the debris seemed to crawl while others moved at breakneck speed.

But above all, was the sphere in front of him; it was pulsing and bulging violently, moving rapidly with barely contained force. Majority of his hair was seemed to surround it like a cage, keeping it barely stable.

"Naruto…." Shino found his voice as he wobbled slowly to Naruto, mindful of the growing cracks on the floor. With every step he took stone cracked. Dust and pebbles then rose unnaturally and joined the cascade of moving pieces.

"Shino, there is another room directly below us. The floor is going to give way any second and I will only be able to hold this-"his hair gestured to the force kept bound, "For a few more minutes."

Sai flexed his fingers and drew his blade; Sakura wound her arms, almost completely covered by her rock gauntlets.

"We have multiple chakra signatures moving rapidly for us, most are still below; my guess the floor was meant to completely give out, if we survived we'd be disoriented and fall prey to them. The others could jump down on us as we scrambled to regroup."

As if to make his point the floor cracked even more and gave an ominous groan.

"So what's the plan?" Sakura growled a quick look showed her eyes to be slightly dilated; the three male members of the team picked up a faint scent coming from her, two of the very familiar with the mixture of cocktails.

"I wish you would use something less volatile Haruno-San" Shino sighed, while Sai looked at her with renewed interest. "My Kikaichu do not particularly enjoy the composition of your stims."

"They work and I won't crash as hard; tough luck." Sakura replied waspishly.

"The plan is-" Naruto cut before the argument to descend further, "We go on the offensive. Once the floor gives way I let loose on the debris. That should slow our pursuers on this floor while we take the fight to the ones below."

"So what are we waiting for" Sai chirped in what passed for cheer. Before anyone could say a word he stumped hard on the ground, chakra lacing the strike.

The entire floor seemed to flex, the cracks multiplying rapidly, before giving way completely.

Naruto snarled in pain as he tried to maintain a grip on his chakra. With a thought one layer snapped; the orb flexed violently but remained in place, meanwhile the debris spiralling around jerked back into reality. Broken pieces of lab equipment and chunks of stone smashed all around the damaged room while team seven descended through the hole in the floor.

Sinking further into his chakra Naruto picked up the layout of the room and the locations of oppositions. His hair writhed and formed two large hands around the volatile orb. He shifted his angel of descent and breathed out slowly.

 ** _Release!_**

The hands opened out around the orb, forming a cone; the orb rippled one final time.

The base trembled as shockwaves tore through one side of the room, cracking walls and stone; the raw force pulped flesh and bone and burst eardrums of the unlucky few to barely avoid its wrath. The wall in the path of the waves simply dissolved, revealing a pathway. The final dregs tapered out, leaving behind large scars and rents on stone.

Naruto dropped to one knee and took several deep breaths. He felt the chakra on his left side tingle, but so far his jutsu held. As always he elected to go for the hard option, when simply erecting a barrier would have sufficed.

None of that mattered at the moment; the shock of his attack had mostly worn off and the Orochimaru's cursed seal rejects were beginning to stir.

"We need to keep our window open" Naruto indicated to the hole revealing the pathway. A quick glance showed the room to be much larger than they originally anticipated, larger than the preliminary combat hall using in the Chunin exam, with several alcoves dotted about.

"I can at least eighteen heads, combat capable" Sakura murmured, a soft breeze fluttering her hair. Her stance tightened as she remained wary.

"Twenty-three actually" Sai chirped again, he inclined his head high and to the left, "Five bodies hidden; two wounded by that shockwave."

Before anyone could speak further a crackling came through several overhead speakers

"Naruto-Kun and guests, forgive our manners. Had we anticipated the manner and timing of your arrival we would have been far more welcoming."

"Kabuto" Naruto hissed out; he turned to one of the overhead cameras, "The curtesy of Oto has been dubious of late. We will not impose."

"No imposition, you are more than welcome to stay a while." Cursed seals pulsed, and hisses and snarls filled the room. "We insist."

* * *

Sakura was the first into action.

She dropped down and slammed her earth covered fists into the ground; the floor buckled and shards of earthen spikes shot up and outwards in rough concentric circles.

The spikes missed their targets, much as she expected; from the side she felt the air displace as a figure rushed towards her. Spinning left she ducked awkwardly to avoid getting her throat slashed. A small jut of earth rose up; as she fell backwards she pushed off it and rolled away avoiding another blow.

She rose quickly to her feet and lashed out with a punch. A wet snap echoed, follow by a piercing wail of pain. She spun on her heel and lashed out with a backhanded blow, sending her victim crashing into the floor.

Adrenaline burned through her and her eyes scanned about wild. Instincts sharpened her movements. Two more figures approached. Her eyes narrowed and her form seemed to ripple. They struck out haphazardly; Sakura weaved through each strike, deflecting attacks and returning with vicious precision. Her earth gauntlets rumbled as they shifted around, forming brittle shards. With each contact, pieces would break off, leaving behind painful wounds and rocks embedded in flesh.

"Sakura!"

The warning came late as a force slammed hard into her back. She gasped but rolled with the pain. She tried to shift but the figure latched on and both of them dropped to the ground. A hand rose and sharp nails glinted in the flickering light. The hand slammed down on her chest.

Another wail of pain echoed, this time from shattered fingers.

Sakura wheezed as she shook off the lingering pain. Also the rock vest was a bit weighty. She sank into the earth, avoiding a blow to the face. Seconds later the earth rippled and she rose up; she caught an outstretched fist and summarily broke the arm, then jabbed the owner's throat, cutting of air supply. A sharp earth spike and he was gone.

Sakura paid him no more attention; there were still more enemies to get through.

* * *

While the cursed seal was an amazing achievement of science and research, it offered too many risks with too few rewards. The margins for error were severely narrow; one in twenty survived the process and less than half actually resulted in full functionality. Most simply degenerated, their chakra and mental health simply eroded from the stress of the cursed energy.

Still, until then they were formidable opponents.

"Aburames never underestimate their opponents." Shino intoned as he deflected a blow and drove an elbow into his opponent's stomach. The figure doubled over and quickly Shino drove a palm strike upwards, catching the chin and forcing the head back with an audible snap.

"Whether the Mymaridea, or the order of Proto-Odonata, we do not relent, we do not falter." He spun round, bringing his forearm up to block a strike from the left; just as quickly he brought his right up and deflected another. His knee rose up and caught one of his assailants between the legs. He shoved the stumbling figure away and faced the other; he lunged forwards and gave a hammer blow to the head.

Buzzing echoed loudly as thousands of Kikai swarmed, obstructing him from view. As the cursed Nins pushed through the Kikai attacked, invading ears, noses and mouths. Sharp mandibles bit into sensitive flesh while some drained chakra.

Shino noted the effect the dark chakra had on his Kikai. The corrupted nature was too much for them; the Kikai feeding on the chakra died in droves with barely anything to show for their efforts. Therefore he had his bugs switch tactics, going for soft targets as opposed to chakra.

Suddenly his view was obstructed; a massive Nin, more than three times his size bore down on him. The cursed seal blazed across his exposed skin and the mad smile on his face seemed all the more sinister.

Air displaced as a fist sped for him. Shino brought his hands together; his Kikai swarmed around his joined arms and seemed to melt together. His armour carapace formed, just in time to take the blow.

A grunt of escaped his lips as the force sent him speeding backwards into a wall.

Dust swelled and activities seemed to pause. The giant cursed Nin bellowed in laughter and made to seek another pray.

 _Shin Sekai_

An angry buzz thumped through the air and suddenly fell silent. A series of clicks counted off….until it stopped.

The giant cursed Nin barely caught the movement. The dust displaced sharply.

A sharp cry followed a wet thud. The giant quickly looked left as a body fell, its cursed markings fading with his life. More thuds told him others had fallen victim. He felt a presence moving behind him; he roared in rage and joy, and then spun to face his attacker.

He missed the first blow; barley felt a thing until he took a step.

The wet thud in his chest stopped him short. A dark bruise formed on his left side, just below his rib cage. As he tried to shift he felt several things were out of place.

He roared in pain and fury and tried to swing, only to find his leg broken, the bone sticking out. He jerked at movement from the right and instinctively struck out, only again to feel more pain.

His eyes blinked dumbly. He could see his hand twitching, trying vainly to grip something, anything.

Only the arm was no longer attached to his body.

Breeze swept passed and he blinked dumbly again. He tried to speak, to roar.

But he had forgotten how.

Also it was strange; he had never been able to see his own back before, obscured by the black markings…and so much red.

* * *

Shino's breathing was deceptively calm. In his right hand dangled the head of the giant cursed Nin. His trademark coat was in complete tatters; his vest top strained but thankfully remained mostly in one piece as were his shorts, his sandals unfortunately were written off.

The severed head dropped to the floor and Shino looked at his hands; he flexed his grip rhythmically. His core was hot, strength unlike any other flowed through him and it was searing in its fury. He had been testing this technique on and off for the last two years.

It wasn't ready…. _he_ wasn't ready. Not for this level of control.

But it had been enough.

The tightening of his chest receded and he seemed to feel smaller. The fury and raw power faded, the last vestiges of his coat falling off with it.

Shino reach into his pouch and pulled out a spare set of dark glasses.

"To face an Aburame is to fight the swarm; to fight an Aburame is to face single minded focus, discipline and determination. You will have no victory."

* * *

Naruto remained static to the chaos around him. Threads, thousands of threads spooled and twisted around him, barely perceptible to the average ninja.

 _But no less deadly, and it's not like we can call this rabble threats in any effect._

Despite his neutral expression he couldn't completely hid his contempt for his opponents. The failed experiments of the Snake threw themselves at his team in frenzy of melee; all of them bearing marks of his cursed seal, though none of them had the darkened skin tone of the second level.

Their chakras though somewhat significant were extremely erratic. There was no finesse to them, no coordination, merely endless _noise._

Having faced Itachi and Kisame and barely survived, faced Kabuto and won, faced Sasori himself…..

He couldn't help finding it insulting.

A large axe with red glowing edges spun towards him; time slowed as the edge _just missed_ the kiss of his neck, before speeding past and decapitating two failed experiments and cutting deep into the stone wall.

The large weapon seemed to shiver, before wrenching free and speeding back to its owner. The edge took the hand clean of another experiment as it tried to grab Naruto, before smacking firmly into Byakuya's hand; said puppet merely swung the weapon down, cutting the experiment in twain.

Naruto glanced at the two halves, then back at the bodies behind him. He turned back to Byakuya with an eyebrow raised. The puppet was soundless; it shifted and turned its back on the bodies, before stalking into the melee, seeking more targets. Gears and locks sounded, the axe head spun and the clips detached; the sword came free while the shield came to rest firmly on Byakuya's left hand.

Naruto frowned; Byakuya seemed off somehow. His moves were fluid as per norm, its combat abilities first class.

But looking closer at the puppet, there was a level of _viciousness, vindictiveness,_ that wasn't present previously.

Byakuya was too professional, too dedicated to throw something as paltry as a tantrum; but if he didn't know better he would say his puppet was working through some frustration.

The shield crashed down on one of the cursed Nins; the jerking body ceased all movements. Byakuya spun around and took a slam to the chest. Unfazed the dart launchers built into his neck line primed and fired corrosive darts, burning through his attackers face. Before the body could fall Byakuya's sword flashed and an arm came off; his spun and kicked the limb into another charging Nin, momentarily stunning him.

The room seemed to shake as Byakuya counter charged, slamming the very dead Nin into the wall.

Naruto furrowed his brow; clearly he had to look into it, later.

The flow of battle was very much in favour of Team Seven; Sakura and Naruto proved effective in crowd control, staggering the battles whilst simultaneously taking out the opposition. Her hallucinogenic compounds seemed to work exceptionally well on the cursed Nins, coupled with Naruto's judicious use of perception threads at times several of the cursed Nins fought empty air.

Shino provided consisted steady damage, utilising his Kikaichu when possible and dealing tremendous amounts of physical force. Of the four members he had the greatest raw physical potential, backed by his armour carapace.

Sai was a consummate student of the black arts of ninjutsu; he was quick, efficient and methodical. His unique combat style of animating ink drawings was useful in a variety of ways and his strength wasn't to scoff at. He kept up well with the team, although to Naruto's screaming senses the Nin was far more capable than Sakura and deadlier than Shino.

The greatest failing Naruto could say of the Nin, was that he was of Root.

Still, his combat skill was appreciated.

Byakuya was just mopping up; the conflict a little over a quarter hour. All through the fight he hand moved an inch, allowing the battle to flow all around him. So far he hadn't been able to sense Kabuto's location, there had to be a secret room blocked of much like the secure rooms in Konoha. Orochimaru's signature too faded sometime prior but Sasuke's still echoed strong. For a brief moment Naruto was sure the Uchiha was going to investigate the commotion, but then a wave of annoyance then disinterest coloured the harsh tones.

Someone had made the Uchiha stay put.

"I must say" the speakers crackled to life once again drawing Naruto's attention, "I expected much from you and you didn't disappoint. You are clearly living up to the reputation you are building, _Jonin Uzumaki Naruto._ "

"Only as duty permits betrayer" Naruto sniped back, turning towards a camera.

A sigh crackled from the speakers, "Modest to a fault, tell me doesn't pretending get old. Saying words you don't mean so often it becomes reflex. At some point it all catches up to you."

Naruto turned fully to the camera as Byakuya smacked the last hostile, "Is that what happened to you betrayer? Too many times a snake sheds it skin. It cannot stop, it merely accepts the realities of its existence. How many times have you shed betrayer?"

"Ever the sting, and people consider me the viper" a chuckle came through. "I must admit, I was jealous of you; Sasori seemed to hold you in such high regard, but I am beginning to see what he saw."

"I have a gift for you, from our mutual master." Kabuto's voice crackled over Naruto's growl, "I think he would have preferred you, as is chosen successor, to have it."

* * *

Naruto went ramrod straight, he eye dead on the camera. Byakuya stiffened and turned sharply to his master.

All eyes watched with various levels of incredulity as the puppet strode to his owner; Byakuya paid them little mind as it stationed just behind Naruto's right side, one of its arms ghosted over his masters shoulder.

Naruto took in a deep breath; at the same moment Byakuya seemed to freeze.

"So he's dead then…." Naruto sounded strange, even to himself. Sasori was a clearly identified enemy of Suna and Konoha. he had acted against his village they had both come to blows.

Still, his loss sent mixed feelings to the young Jinchuriki.

"A man may not slave under two masters Naruto-Kun. You know this" Something in the Sound Nins tone didn't sit well with Naruto but he remained silent.

"Still, I have learnt a lot from my former master" klaxons sounded. "Kusagakure will be joining us a little earlier than scheduled. It appeared they were tipped off and the potential fallout will far more benefit them than the alternative. If they spot Konoha Nins….."

The grim look on Team Seven said it all. Naruto narrowed his eye; the speakers and camera immediately cracked and shorted out.

"We need to move quickly." Nods came all around.

Shino stepped forwards, "The terminal indicated Sasuke's quarters and training facilities are further to the west. I am surprised with the commotion we haven't seen him; likely scenario was that he was moved during the combat, although I doubt he agreed."

"No Sasuke is still here." Naruto shook his head and spoke before anyone could act. "But we are not going for him. Our primary objective hasn't changed."

"I thought our objective _was_ Sasuke" Sakura argued, a frown marring her features. Even Shino stood confused though one couldn't readily tell, even with his jacket.

Sai simply remained inert.

"At no point did I state we were after Sasuke specifically; all I and Tsunade-Sama stated was infiltrate Oto and find our priority target. Capture if we can, kill and return samples if we can't."

"Samples?" Sai parroted in his bland tones. His eyebrows narrowed as thought fired. "This has something to do with your mission; the reason you tore through so many Oto bases.

Naruto nodded.

"It took a while, but a clue paid off; Konoha is now aware of a resource behind one of Orochimaru's deadliest weapons. If we could gain access to it, we might be able to neutralise him, or limit him severely."

"Only a fresh sample, untainted by any other DNA strain would do. It another reason you are in this mission Sakura" Naruto turned to her, "your training will be invaluable, and I have the necessary containment units."

"I can think of only one thing that warrants such levels of secrecy and preparation." Sai commented his bland tone did nothing to comfort Naruto; his life was going to be more complicated. "Do you really think we could walk away with the secrets to Orochimaru's cursed seals?"

Sakura gasped in shock while Shino took a deep breath.

"Not if they don't know it's what we are really after. Like you they presume we are after Sasuke. The holding cells are in that direction; by the time they catch on we have to complete either of our objects."

"Either we capture the source of the cursed seal, Tenbin no Jugo, or we eliminate him and provide samples of his cadaver for study."


	20. Truth? From A Certain Point Of View

_**A.N. You all know the score by now; another chapter in**_

 _ **Thanks for the patience and support - it really does help; to my regulars (jojo, s.k.f.f.f, Tdo3, Seta88, etc) thanks for the comments and support.**_

 _ **Also to new faces (unto-the-aether...and probably several more) welcome and thanks for your support.**_

 _ **Hope you enjoy, Onwards to Glory!**_

* * *

Kabuto replayed the fight over and over; his mind gleamed with activity, processing everything in order to unravel Naruto's secrets.

Truly it was exhilarating, working on such amazing concept with so many handicaps. Lack of direct access to the specimen was an inconvenience, but the records were adequate and would do for the time being.

Kabuto leaned forwards and played the tape again, reducing to half speed. He focused on Naruto; the puppet master through the whole engagement had not left his spot, despite the chaos around him. Kabuto frowned as he took in the details with a season set of eyes; statistically and mathematically _may_ be possible to remain stood still in a melee frenzy and not get hit, the probabilities though didn't bear calculating.

The fact that Naruto had maintained his position through the whole fight, not even lifting a finger was enlightening. The battle flowed around him but to Kabuto it screamed unnatural.

He looked at the second screen, the camera looping the descent before the melee. The volatile forces Naruto had under his command before being unleashed with devastating effect.

"Just how do you do it Naruto-Kun?" Kabuto murmured to himself as he leaned back into his chair. Genjustu alone was not enough to explain the odd occurrences around the blonde Jinchuriki.

Watching the videos again Kabuto cursed the lack of clarity. Somethings could not be readily interpreted second hand, even with the surveillance system Orochimaru employed.

Speaking of….

"Naruto-Kun has become quite the tenacious opponent, wouldn't you say Kabuto-Kun?" a silky voice, weak with illness but still laced with power sounded to his left shoulder. "I see what my former partner had him so enthralled with the Jinchuriki; such drive, such passion."

Kabuto nodded as his fingers danced over the keyboard. More cameras came online across several screens, tracking the movements of Team Seven. Naruto puppet led the charge, only this time it was wielding four swords. Despite what should have been an inconvenience for a skilled swordsman, Naruto's puppets had no problems spinning wildly and slashing at everything that stepped into its path. Several times the blades should have scraped or bounced off walls and the floor, but from the screens they always seemed just short; never losing momentum or needing much redirection.

"Now I'm beginning to wonder the merits of holding Sasuke-Kun back; it would be interesting to test the Uchiha's skills against Naruto-Kun" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he tracked Kabuto; his assistant hadn't been able to hide his feelings on the statement.

"Oh, you disapprove?" The query was deceptively light. The hairs on Kabuto's neck rose slightly; the feeling of penetrating appraisal washed over him. He needed to pick his next words carefully; Orochimaru was dangerous and mercurial, especially in periods before and after his body transfers. And the snake had invested heavily in the Uchiha so…

"Sasuke-kun has performed to standard, in fact more than originally anticipated" Kabuto began. He tapped rapidly on the keys and brought up several files; medical logs, video files and personal notes, "We were quite fortunate his genetics responded well to our trials, and he has been consistently pushing the boundaries of his training."

"His bloodline is impeccable; by rights he embodies everything a ninja and a mentor could possibly want in an apprentice…or a specimen."

Orochimaru clucked "An appraisal I am already aware of. Tell me, what is your contrast?"

Kabuto tapped away and new screens popped up; details and notes on Naruto. Two more videos appeared side by side, one of Sasuke and the other Naruto."

"Sasuke you can say was born to power, Naruto though" Kabuto pushed his glasses further in; a smile fleeted across his face, "Naruto was _forged for it. Forged by it_."

"Every aspect of his power and skill is honed from countless hours of trial and error. Blood, sweat, and tears. Each and every step has been part of an incredible journey; he has navigated a field of apathy and maintains such focus and dedication."

"Ohh, and Sasuke as thrown himself into rigorous physical and mental conditioning? Despite the advantages his bloodline gives him I have not seen such dedication to the arts since Kimimaro."

Kabuto acknowledged the statement.

"I will admit I am biased against him. The point is though, out of both specimens, Naruto is the one whose growth continues to intrigue and interest me. With him, I _learn something new._ "

Kabuto blinked, multiple times. His hands hovered over the keyboard as video logs played snippets of Sasuke and Naruto.

"My my, such praise from you Kabuto" Orochimaru murmured from half lidded eyes, "And to think a few short years ago, Naruto was a none-entity to you."

"Yes, and I paid dearly for that mistake. Underestimating him almost cost me my life." Kabuto glanced back at Orochimaru. "Everyone who has underestimated has always suffered for it. I don't know for sure which one is stronger. However Naruto has always presented so much more."

"I know, it's a trait I am not ashamed to admit I am envious of." A voice sounded at the entrance to the room.

"Sasuke-Kun" Orochimaru chuckled to himself. Kabuto glanced at the Uchiha, surprised to have missed his entrance, and pondering how much of the conversation had been picked up.

Sasuke meanwhile step closer to the duo, but his eyes remained fixed on the videos playing.

"Sasori was an S-Rank Ninja, and a master puppeteer." Sasuke spoke as he drew closer, "Naruto faced him without hesitation and while it wasn't a victory it was no defeat either."

Sasuke stopped as he drew side by side with them.

"S-Rank; the very same rank my brother holds. He resides in the upper echelons of the Shinobi world."

"Not all Ninjas are made equal Sasuke-Kun; S-Rank is no different." Orochimaru stated as he watched the young Nin. Sasuke turned to him, dark amusement in his eyes."

"Ohh, and could you beat Sasori? Would victory be decisive?" Sasuke's tone was taunting; Kabuto took careful note of the Uchiha as Orochimaru went very still and silent. Sasuke's eyes held a fey light and he was altogether off; in one of his moods once again.

Kabuto sighed internally, it was like looking after two toddlers; both very mercurial and the similarities ran deeper than that.

"Were it not for his team, he might not have walked away from that battle at all." Kabuto stated, drawing attention at him.

"But he did, and like it or not he faced off against Sasori, under his own power and almost succeeded." Sasuke's chakra pulsed with dark energy. "For nearly three years I have waited to taste the fruit of my revenge and I find my teammate was closer to my enemy than I was." The outright hostility to Orochimaru was tangible.

The snake Sannin narrowed his gaze and his own chakra lit up in response. Although weakened it wasn't to be underestimated. Kabuto stood in alarm, but gave way to confusion as Sasuke smiled suddenly and immediately stood down.

"As I suspected" He chuckled to himself as he appraised the Sannin. "You are still so terribly strong; I am not as gifted as my teammate, but I am not incompetent. You are still the greater of us."

Kabuto blinked, not fully understanding.

"You are S-Ranked. Itachi is S-Rank. You both belonged to the same organisation, the same as Sasori. You are all inordinately strong. If I don't yet measure up to you, then how can I face my brother? Was that not your promise?"

Sasuke looked back at the screens.

"And in that time, the one who could have been my greatest rival, has already crossed swords with his cage. I left Konoha because it was supposed to be the quickest way. The irony is a bitter pill to swallow." Sasuke shook his head and slowly left the room.

Orochimaru returned his gaze to the data on screen, trying to appear unconcerned. Kabuto however had long been the Sannin's adviser and closest companion; he could see the slight tightening around the Snakes eyes, the subtle tension in his posture.

Sasuke had been fairly close to the truth; Orochimaru couldn't afford Sasuke being too strong too quickly. And with the young Uchiha affinity for the Shinobi arts it was no easy feat to hold him back.

Seeing first-hand the results of Naruto's own training and growth however, was the ignition of a host of problems he would have to contend with the young Uchiha.

"Kabuto" the Medic turned to his master, and noted the dark look in the snake's eyes. "As soon as possible I want you to begin preparations for a host change"

Kabuto blinked at the statement.

"Is that wise? We already had to do an early transfer; the late Sandaime's tenacity and acumen nearly cost you everything." Kabuto stopped as a blast of pure rage and killing intent swept over him.

Still, he was undeterred.

"Changing host so quickly saved your arms, but it has cost you in time; the body begins wearing down quicker than usual. The rejections phases are sharper and last longer. We have been fortunate enough to stave off the worst of it and stretch it out to three years. If you insist on shifting bodies early _again_ , we could potentially lose months, even years of progression-"

"Better that than the alternative Kabuto!" Orochimaru snapped back, silencing his spy. He raised his and upwards and looked on in irritation as the limb began trembling, like a leaf caught in the wind.

"Run as many test as you want, recheck everything again and again." His eyes were manic as he looked over Kabuto. "Once this is over I will take my new body."

Kabuto sighed and shook his head.

"Very well."

* * *

"Tenbin no Jugo" Sakura tested out as the moved quickly through the empty corridor.

"The secret behind Orochimaru's Cursed Seals" Naruto nodded, "-and a very well hidden asset at that. It took me over a year to even confirm his existence, much less find a way to retrieve him."

"Konoha has been researching the Curse Seal since we first learned of its existence with limited to no success. Its very nature has stymied every researcher brought on." Sai chirped in. "With this information we could potentially unlock all aspect of the Curse Seal. I think I can understand the reason behind the deception to our mission."

Naruto glanced at his team, noting the bobbing heads and looks of understanding.

"Secure the hive may be; threats are ever present and come just as easily from within; no colony can exist with two queens, vying for control." Shino's soft tones echoed.

"Ohh, you're suggesting others in the village might be undermining our designated commander?" Sakura queried with a raised eyebrow. Her quick glance towards Sai escaped no one and left the Root Nin smiling with what seemed to be bemusement.

Shino brushed over his shades. "That is an oversimplification; other nations could be involved and have influence in our village; in that sense it presents a 'rival queen', one whose goals do not transfer with our appointed queen."

They moved quickly, intent on their objective. They just went passed a closed door; Naruto _felt_ it before he _sensed_ it. Instincts flared alarmed; Naruto reached out with his left hand to a frightened figure.

* * *

All movement stopped. Everyone stood tense. The figure trembled, the sound of her fear clear to all present. Slowly she sank to the floor, her legs no longer able to support her weight.

Sai went blank, utterly inhuman. Shino stood motionless, the Kikaichu ceased all activity.

Sakura inhaled sharply, tension coiled through her.

Naruto's hand remained outstretched; his fingers curled in a grasp. Chakras thrummed deceptively over the limb, humming sweetly in the silence….

…..and locked against another.

The soft sound of lightning echoed; chirping like a thousand birds.

* * *

"Sasuke"

Sakura breathed, unable to say much more. Everything and nothing seemed to pour from her as she gazed on her teammate. Her left hand unconsciously reached toward her chest, over a phantom ache.

Red eyes drifted slowly over to her, causing the pain to flare and she curled into herself; no longer was she the confident and skill Shinobi; she was an insecure Kunoichi in training, desperate to stop someone she cared about from leaving.

* * *

One blue orb; cold and unrelenting.

Two red orbs; calculating and unflinching.

Chakra sang across each side; one with low tones, deep and unyielding. The other loud sharp and frenzied.

Naruto looked at his hand. The speed at which he had reacted; only few could have effectively countered him.

Sasuke had now joined those ranks.

The Uchiha hadn't even made contact. Hovering just below was his hand; lightning chakra arced over the fingers and exerted a tremendous amount of force over Naruto's limb, locking it in place.

Naruto looked back at his former teammate; clearly he hadn't been idle, and given the depth of power hidden deep within the Uchiha, bypassing him would not be an easy feat.

"Mibu" the frightened girl squeaked at the call and looked up. "Leon is waiting for you; forget the files and join him."

The girl shook even more, but seemed to gather herself as she slowly inched across the ground, sticking close to the wall and away from the figures around her.

There was barely any movement but she froze instantly. Split second later Sai himself froze; Sharingans of various sizes swam across his vision, the pinwheels moving at varying speeds. His throat locked up and he couldn't remember how to breathe.

Another force swept over him, wrenching control from the Sharingan induced haze. Sai blinked in shock; his chest was pounding and he found himself taking in deep breaths, as a man who just avoided drowning. His limbs felt heavy and the world seems to sway slightly

A figure brushed against his side momentarily and for once Sai could say he felt something akin to gratitude for the Aburame's presence.

"Leon, stand down" Sai struggled to move his head; his eyes widened as he finally noticed another Sound Nin in a stand-off against Shino. The Sound Nin was shirtless and of a solid build. His skin tone was pale, from spending so much time underground, but Sai even in his dazed state noted his arms were a muddy brown colour; stopping well past his shoulders before cutting off jaggedly over his chest.

 _Just how long had he been completely out of it?_

* * *

"Leon, stand down. Get Mibu and make your way out. Kusa will be upon us very soon, I will hate to have to retrieve her." At the command Leo's stance slowly, carefully relaxed. Shino too, noticing his opponents exaggerated motions, relaxed.

Leo shifted past, never taking his eyes of anyone until he reached his sisters side.

"How will you find us Sasuke-Sama?" Leo asked once Mibu was secured in his grasp. It was clear to all the relief of the siblings being close to each other.

"That is not your concern." Leo nodded, familiar with Sasuke's mannerisms. Without hesitation his held his sister close and tore down the passage.

Silence held, for a time.

"Have you come to die, Betrayer?"

"That remains to be determined; are you here to kill me?"

At the same time both Nins pulled their arms back and stepped away from each other.

"Hmm, guess the answer to that is no" Sasuke shook his head and glanced over them all. His gaze lingered on Sakura; the Sharingan faded, leaving his jet black orbs.

"Sakura, A part of me is relieved you survived that night. You have grown far more than I could have thought or ever appreciated."

Sakura flinched slightly at the address but blinked in shock at the words. Sasuke had just complimented her, on his own volition. All that paled however to the fear and anger she had regarding him. Her hand clenched tight against her scar, willing the pain to be over.

"Sasuke, if you wish to keep those eyes cast your gaze away from her, right now" The utter menace in Naruto's voice caused Sakura to flush and his team to blink in surprise. Byakuya was stood just behind Sakura; several clicks and rattles later it was in front of her, shielding her from sight.

"I have no designs for her, and you should be more trusting. She is not the same as she was once."

"Forgive me if I do not accept the words of a betrayer; I wouldn't believe if you told me water was wet and the night was dark."

"Then you would choose to be wilfully blind to universal truths, simply because of petty dislike. No, you are better than that Naruto."

"I refuse to allow a traitor and malcontent to have influence on me or my own. Especially one who uses murder in an attempt to justify his lust for power."

"Not power, freedom. In that, there is a distinction"

Sakura blinked rapidly, taken aback at the comment.

"I am an Uchiha; power is by nature our birth right; it's an indisputable fact. Some may call my words hubris or vanity, but the simple truth of the matter is we Uchiha are a breed apart. Power was ours."

"Except they are all dead" Naruto's fired back. Sasuke nodded, shocking everyone again.

"Yes, but note; it was one of their own that did the deed. All were Uchiha, and only at the Uchiha was the Clan laid low. Power begets power, and only by power can power itself be taken away."

"And how does this equate to freedom Sasuke." Naruto snarled, his chakra flickering. "All I've heard is power; your hypocrisy is becoming stale. No matter how you word it, what lies you sing to yourself you are and will always be a traitor. A dark stain on Konoha's legacy."

Sasuke smirked; the sharp angles and harsh lines cast over his face spiked adrenaline in his onlookers.

"It is hard to betray an institution if it never had your loyalty in the first place."

* * *

Sai tensed and his focus sharpened. Shino became frigid; his Kikaichu swarmed in response to hi agitation. Sakura flinched as if struck, and closed her eyes.

Naruto however went deathly still; Byakuya froze. The puppet seemed to loom, leeching all light and warmth. Gears turned so slowly it might as well have been painful. Its death orbs eerily cast their gaze from behind its mask.

"You wore our symbol." Naruto's voice was flat. "You wore our colours. When you took our band you declared that allegiance. I dare you to say otherwise."

Sasuke casually shrugged.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke, I don't like much, and I dislike many things." The damming smile remained on his face.

"I don't have time for dreams. My sole ambition is to revive my clan…and to kill a certain man."

No one spoke.

"I never hid my thoughts, even then. What you all chose to take from my words is on you. To be a Ninja I needed the headband. To control my destiny I became the squad leader. And in my quest for freedom and vengeance, I left Konoha."

"Call me a liar…"

The gears in Byakuya turned, ever so slowly, until they suddenly stopped.

"You will die, here and now Sasuke." Raw chakra broke free. Sasuke smiled again, madness clear in his orbs.

"Well now" Sharingan spun to life, and his own chakra answered the call. "You can certainly try Naruto."

* * *

 _Naruto!_

Sakura shook her head at the turn of events. She took a hesitant step forwards, only a puppet to get in the way. This one was unfamiliar to her; it had a stylised crossbow on its right forearm and a shallow disk on the shoulder of the left. As it turned Sakura made out what appeared to be a speaker in the centre of its chest.

"Shino, lead everyone out; find Jugo and kill him." It was strange hearing Naruto's voice from the obviously feminine puppet; then his words filtered through to her and she stood in shock. Shino titled his head and observed Naruto and his puppet, and then gave a short nod.

"Sakura, Sai. We move out now." Several Kikai fleeted about, flying swiftly down a corridor. "We have delayed for far too long, the chances of getting Jugo out has dwindled significantly. All we can do is deny Sound a vital asset and make what research we can." Shino carried on softly, perhaps sensing the conflict in Sakura.

Sakura turned away from her teammates.

"Hai, let's move."

* * *

Orochimaru sat comfortably in the secure room; Kabuto had multiple screens feeding the soon to be confrontation between Sasuke and Naruto from various angles.

"Orochimaru-Sama, the last of the files and personnel has been evacuated. We can scuttle this base at any time" He paid no attention the speaker, content that Kabuto would see to it; all he had eyes for was the oncoming fight.

Despite this, a part of the Snake could help churn over; originally they assumed Sasuke was the target. Seeing as the Uchiha had their attention, why split up? The sudden lack of audio was irritating; however it was a small thing.

The bigger question was what they were after…

"Kabuto, what is the latest we have from our ears in Konoha?" The Medic turned to the Sannin, slightly puzzled. The Sannin remained focused on the screens, but carried on regardless, "Sasuke was never their target; they are after something else in this base, something to do with Sound."

Kabuto paused, his mind rapidly going over the details.

"With Naruto involved I would wager information, something he may not have already had. But once it was confirmed we were present, or at the very least me, he should have pulled back and called of the mission" Kabuto fully turned to the screens. "That tells me he probably has the information and might be seeking some form of confirmation. Sasuke is a side benefit"

Orochimaru nodded. "I agree it isn't Sasuke-Kun. Still, what information do we have that he would be desperate enough to risk his team, especially knowing you are here and I could possibly be too?"

Kabuto turned to one of the last remaining assistants.

"Kabuto-Sama, team seven seem to be making their way to the holding areas. Their route will take them to where we keep the most afflicted with the curse seals and prisoners."

"Who do we have there at the moment? I don't recall anyone in this facility?" Kabuto mused. Rapid taps echoed behind him.

"No one at present, the last one died and was disposed of two mon- wait." More tapping, "Odd, there was a transfer from another secure sight, under heavy security but all information is heavily restricted. Its requesting a confirmation key from…Orochimaru-Sama."

The Sannin gave an imperious stare at the Nin; the Nin shrunk back and tapped furiously at the keys.

"I cannot pull anything further, but it's strange; it's a priority specimen given the level of encryption but it was filed miscellaneously. I'll try something-"More taps echoed, "The last to access this file was Koga, from the Kumo site."

"Kumo?" Kabuto queried sharply. At the nod he turned towards Orochimaru, whose face was even more grim.

"Sasori, I tire of his meddling." Orochimaru stood suddenly, causing Kabuto and the other Nin to take a healthy step backwards. Orochimaru didn't care as his thoughts came crashing to one name.

"Jugo!"

* * *

Sakura tried to regain control of her thoughts, but it wasn't easy. Already she could envisage the smug glances and telling sniffs from the Elder Council once they gave their report.

Still seeing Sasuke hadn't done her much favours, everything she had worked towards and her emotions send them spiralling. She had to be better than that

She would be better…

The thought had barely escaped her when several shadows broke through their formation. Her team reacted instantly, splitting and tracking the movements; Sakura shifted her stance and punched one of the shadows, only for her fist to phase through.

She blinked in shock and tensed as the world faded away.

"I'm sorry I had to do this Sakura. Naruto would not allow it otherwise, I must say he has grown especially protective of you."

Sakura turned to the voice, hoping her stare was flat.

"Sasuke…"

The figure unveiled from the shadows, Sharingan spinning its deadly weave.

"Sakura, I need a consultation….."


	21. We are all Failures and Madmen

**_A.N. Hey all and welcome to another chapter. Overall i am glad for the positive response to direction of this part of the story and Sasuke; I have a love/hate relationship with his character that leans mostly on hate. That said i try to be fair to the original archetype we had from the early part of the series, with a few tweaks where i could._**

 ** _No real questions so far, unless i misread the reviews - please reiterate and i'll get them answered as soon as i can. As always comments and critiques are welcome. i'll also do my usual shout outs at the end of the chapter._**

 ** _Onwards to Glory_**

* * *

 _Madness – the state of having a serious mental illness._

 _It could also be characterised as a state of extremely foolish behaviour, or of wild or chaotic activity._

Sakura blinked.

She found herself doing that a lot with her teammates. The words were clear, she heard them, but comprehension was running a tad slow.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"I said I need you for a consultation" Yeah, that's what she thought she heard. She took a steadying breath and appraised her surroundings.

"How long do you plan to keep me here?"

The world rippled around her, shifting in many guises and a myriad colours.

"Time is relative in an illusion, depending on the skill of the craftsman and the acuity of his victim. Though I must admit it wasn't easy trapping you in the first place; as expected from a budding mistress of the illusionary arts."

"Save your compliments Sasuke" Sakura called out sternly, her back stiffened. "I won't be a willing victim, not to you."

Steps echoed around her, soft and measured. It felt like a predator, stalking its prey.

"Is it really so hard to accept a statement in the spirit it is given? Or is my word worth nothing to you now? You, of all-"

"You will not turn this on me!" Sakura snarled and the world around her juddered. She took several steps back as she glared hatefully at her former teammate; at last her anger was showing and her hesitation was diminishing.

"You left us; whatever delusions you tell yourself that fact remains you abandoned us; abandoned Konoha and Team Seven. You say it was all a means to an end and yet you are speaking to me like I matter to you-"

"I never said you didn't Sakura" Sasuke sharply cut in.

Sakura scoffed "You tried to kill me; I wanted to stop you making the biggest mistake of your life and you stabbed me, in the chest"

Sakura paused for an indefinite period. Her eyes raged defiantly to the shadows and the dark.

"Sasuke, you left me to die."

"As I recall I made sure to hit nothing vital" the rebuttal came swift, causing her to choke; Sasuke swiftly took control, prowling through the mists, "-I could have left you to die that night, bleeding out in the darkness. Instead I took a risk; I wrapped you up and _I_ gave you a fighting chance. You lived, and in some small way, whether you like to admit it or not, it's because in the end, when it really mattered, I didn't want you to die."

Sakura merely glared at him, furious at his assertions and furious at the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. A ghostly hand brushed across her face. she flinched backwards, but already her tears were gone, wiped off and leaving no streaks.

"Are we done with this now? There is no one else I can trust on this; there is no one else i _will_ trust. Sakura…..Please…"

Sakura shivered with unease; her chakra fluctuated rapidly and in set patterns. The mists and shadows groaned and shattered.

Sasuke stepped forwards and appraised her efforts.

"So stubborn, I suppose it would be redundant of me to ask you to stop that."

Sakura couldn't help the slight smirk; a pressure was building in the back of her mind.

"It's the Konoha loyalist in me; wouldn't want you to think I was a willing hostage. Besides, Konoha Nins don't make deals with terrorists."

To her shock Sasuke burst out in laughter; it was so random and almost jovial Sakura could only look on in disbelief

"It is so amazing that you actually believe that" Sasuke's laughter tapered off, a light smirk on his face and something flashed across his eyes.

"Konoha loyalist eh? Let us test that theory" Sakura gulped; despite his light tones the words felt ominous to her ears.

"How about a trade; information on some of Orochimaru's still remaining agents in Konoha, confirmation of their identities and the real reason Sai is on your team, for your time and cooperation."

Sakura's thoughts came crashing to a halt. It didn't take long to spot the verbal trap Sasuke had laid out; the offer would benefit Konoha legitimately and by implicating an ulterior motive for Sai's presence, something she suspected due to Naruto's reactions, it had her curious.

Someone like Sasuke would not just throw at random deals or information like that; he was very confident in what he was saying, and furthermore he was fully aware she knew that. Even more was the fact that he now provided the impetus to dig further into the situation, especially the link with Sai.

Seeing the realisation and smug look in his eyes caused something in Sakura to finally snap. The world around them shook with a loud gong. A loud voice echoed with a bitter and wrathful snarl.

 ** _Get Bent Sasuke!_**

* * *

Sakura gasped as pure fury spread from deep within her mind. Split second later she was on her knees, shivering and taking deep breaths. Shino and Sai were a few feet ahead, engaging Sasuke in combat.

"Genjutsu" she hissed out and tried to get back to her feet. The genjutsu had taken a lot out of her; oddly enough Sharingan based illusions were notoriously difficult to break, even for veterans.

The hairs on her neck rose; immediately she lashed out though sluggish. Her hand was immediately caught and redirected, pulling her body flush against her attacker.

"That wasn't very nice; but now I am even more intrigued with you" she stiffened as a hand ghosted over her and felt something slip into her weapons pouch.

"It's an open-ended deal Sakura. I'll be in touch."

She glared at Sasuke as he released her arm. He smiled and then dissipated in a cloud of smoke. Another echo.

"Sakura-San, are you well?" Shino queried as he came up beside her. She gave a flat nod, barely paying attention as Sai slipped beside her as well.

"Kage Bunshin, not an easy jutsu. Uchiha-San's skills are growing more disturbing."

 _Yes and his behaviour even more so….._

* * *

 _You will die, here and now Sasuke._

 _Well now. You can certainly try Naruto._

Two blades collided with unwavering unrelenting force; lightning enhanced chakra crackled against the frenzied hum of folded space-time.

Sasuke couldn't hide his delight as he and Naruto drew back for another clash. It was all the more sweeter knowing he had driven his former teammate into such a state.

Ever since he left Konoha he had followed as best he could the progression on his team. Sakura had been easy, seeing as she remained in the village, and he admired from afar her growth and skill as it took form. He would never regret the action he took that evening, but seeing her alive and well, infiltrating Orochimaru base, that was somewhat special to him.

Naruto on the other hand had been difficult to track. Since leaving Konoha and then disappearing from Jiraiya information came in trickles regarding the blonde's movements. Then the attacks on Sound bases began. Information brokers had just enough to allude to his presence, sometimes not even that and for a time Sasuke could sense the effect this was having on the Snake and his minions.

This served as a powerful motivator for Sasuke. He pushed himself harder and longer, underwent as many procedures as the snake dared to further his power, all the more knowing that Naruto was out there growing at an unprecedented scale.

His Clan records had spoken of ones that even the might of the Uchiha had not been able to defeat. Few and far between these ones left lasting impressions on the Clan; their names borne with either honour or contempt.

Sasuke held Naruto as one of those names.

"Now Naruto" Naruto tensed as madness swept over Sasuke. The blonde took a step back and froze; Sasuke was just behind him, whispering into his ears.

 _Show me how far you have gone…._

* * *

Naruto narrowed his gaze in dislike as he tracked Sasuke's movements. The first few blows had worked wonders in curtailing his initial rage, now a cold rationality was seeping through his moves.

"Don't flatter yourself Sasuke" Naruto spoke; his blade was poised over Sasuke's heart as the Uchiha whispered into an afterimage. Sasuke merely smiled, seeming to take joy in the situation; Naruto resolved to kill him, no if or buts.

He also promised himself not to take too much satisfaction from the act.

"You have gotten faster" Sasuke commented idly, as if he wasn't under threat. Naruto narrowed his gaze. His wrist twitched; the blade shifted forwards.

He cursed silently as he tracked Sasuke new location. The Uchiha had his head cocked at an angle, his smile never leaving his face.

"This is the part where you make a reciprocal statement Naruto".

"I'll say a few words at your cremation" Naruto snarked as he watched the Uchiha carefully. Now that he was really listening his sense were telling him to be wary of the Uchiha. The fact was reinforced as Sasuke let loose a light chuckle.

"No mid-battle banter then, how very disappointing." Chakra spiked, followed swiftly by arcs of lightning, "I was hoping that we could as they say 'chew the fat'. Good conversationalists are often hard to find." The lightning surged as Sasuke slowly sheathed his blade and took one step forwards.

Naruto tensed. His hair grew out, shimmering with restrained chakra. The air around him shifted. Byakuya's gears turned and the puppet hunched slightly; its arms and legs shimmered.

Sasuke's smile seemed to grow wider; suddenly the lightning disappeared.

A sharp crack echoed.

Instincts screamed out and Naruto's chakra surged. The immediate space on his left rippled. His body shifted right, just as a force barely scraped by him. The backlash sent him a few steps off balance. Another blow was swiftly countered; his hair formed up in front of him and he hissed as he felt entire lengths burn away.

Byakuya sprang into action; it's Hades Forge weapon replaced with its four telescopic blades. The puppet seemed to shimmer as it moved; he launched a vicious spinning slash, only to be deflected. Byakuya flowed with the motion and its left leg rose up with sharp talons ready to shred Sasuke. The blow missed; Sasuke moved to disable the puppet only to find a sword moving swiftly for his eyes.

With another soft crackle Sasuke was at the other end of the room, only to hiss as Byakuya was immediately upon him. His flickered through the air as myriads of blows rained down on him. His muscles scream in joy and pain as he matched blow for blow; his Sharingan traced each move before they happened, finding patterns and paths in the chaos.

Sasuke's narrowed his brow as inconsistences kept growing; the puppet was fast, fact. Naruto's skill was undeniable, fact.

But Sasuke knew that while Naruto himself was fast, at the moment, _he was faster…_

 _There!_

Sasuke deflected another blow, exposing the puppets side for the briefest of moments, his wrist flicked and his sword spun; his body flowed like water and his thrust echoed with lightning.

There was no possible way the puppet could avo-

 _There!_

Again, somehow, some ungodly force was at work; there was no way the puppet could have avoided damage for this long, not against him.

 _One final test…_

Sasuke kept up his momentum, sending him further away from the puppet. Once more the cackle of lighting filled the room; this time the charge was greater, sharper. Sasuke's hand seemed to disappear under the blaze of lightning chakra.

"Chidori" Sasuke smirked at the tension in Naruto's face; the smirk grew wider as his jutsu surged, "Eiso(Spear)!"

* * *

As a jutsu the flaws in the Chidori were only matched by the sheer power and lethality of it. Hence it was only fitting that the Sharingan was the only means to fully maximise the jutsus potential; being able to track your target and see its movements before they happen was a godsend on a technique that required speed.

Normally the jutsu required a running start, this was crucial to catch opponents off guard and then deal the single decisive blow.

Sasuke had taken the original jutsu and slowly adapted the jutsu, recasting and reshaping it in various ways, without sacrificing any of its lethality.

And so, the 'Chidori Eiso' the 'Thousand Birds Sharp Spear' or 'Thousand Birds Laser Spear' was forged. A literal spear of lightning, design for the sole purpose to pierce through all it encountered, leaving only death in its wake.

* * *

Naruto knew what the Chidori felt like; the fight between Sasuke and Gaara had been supremely educational. This signature however was subtly different; despite the growth of Sasuke and his increase skill with his chakra it didn't account for the difference in the jutsu.

From the name however Naruto quickly connected the dots.

By the time he took a step back, the jutsu was already yards away from him.

It would take a second or two for the Jutsu to perforate his chest; a second or two was enough.

Naruto's eye flashed; faintly what appeared to be seal scripts rapid sifted through the soft gelatine layer. The world around him shimmered and seemed to lose in consistency.

Naruto allowed himself to fall backwards; his hair darted out, catching into the ground and supporting his frame. The Chidori Spear missed his chest and just scrapped over his chin, burning several strands of hair. He felt the heat and potential of the jutsu, micro meters away from charring his flesh.

Sasuke was much faster now, faster and more dangerous than before.

 _I will not underestimate you again Sasuke…._

* * *

 _I will not underestimate you again Naruto….._

Naruto was much more dangerous now than he ever was; that much was clear. And the speed and precision of his attacks and manoeuvres never failed to impress or inspire dread.

Sasuke was sure Naruto would be able to counter his jutsu; he just hadn't expected the means it was done. Still, he had seen what he needed; Naruto could bend reality, manipulate space-time, and he utilised his fiendish form of Fuinjutsu to do so.

Across his vision, barely there fuinjutsu scripts seemed to be burned into reality, invisible to all but the most sensitive of sensors and off course, those with doujutsu capable of unveiling chakra. The scripts had been hidden in the flashes of chakra use, but even Naruto couldn't fully hide their trails. It was those 'echoes' that he had been seeing; only they always faded to fast to fully comprehend.

It reminded him of something; something almost all Uchiha were intimately familiar with.

Naruto frowned as a chuckled escaped Sasuke's lips. The chuckle escalated to light laughter; he righted himself and looked on bemused at his once upon a time teammate.

"Capable and devious" Sasuke chortled out as he tried to regain composure, "You are still the over-achieving, ego-slamming, pain in the dark side that I have always hated." Sasuke's tone held a trace of whimsy.

"Hated or envied?" Naruto threw back with only a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Sasuke cocked his head as if in thought, "There is room for both I think" Sasuke spoke slowly mulling his thoughts over; he absently raised his left hand and fired off a Chidori spear. The jutsu screamed for Naruto's Banshee-Class puppet; several sharp flicks and the puppet was out of harm's way. Sasuke shot a sharp, almost exasperated glare at Naruto who merely shrugged.

"So how long do you intend to keep me here?" Naruto queried; his tone no longer aloof and laced with menace.

Sasuke too lost some of his nonchalance "As I recall, you wanted to kill me-"

Naruto scoffed, "Spare me; if I really wanted to kill you this engagement would go very differently. We both know neither of us can dismiss the other easily; a fight between us will take considerable effort and time, neither of which we have been conscious of ." Naruto rolled his neck and looked over Sasuke, "I know why I went along with this, but I am beginning to suspect you have something at play as well."

Naruto paused and his stance shifted, "And I don't think, if I really tried, you'd let me get passed you; not without a real fight."

"At least not yet."

Sasuke looked impassive. His head tilted slightly; his hand came up and in a smooth motion his sword returned into its sheath.

"You're not wrong. That said I think my business is concluded; if you want to leave I won't stop you" As if to make his point Sasuke turned his back on Naruto and calmly made his way out of the room. As he got to the door Naruto's voice gave him pause.

"After all this, we just walk away from each other? You play games with my team; you play games with Sakura, and now you walk away, again…?"

Sasuke turned toward Naruto. His gaze was bemused and his tone turned chiding.

"Regardless of what you started your heart wasn't in this fight; not yet. You always were a dutiful son of Konoha…." Sasuke trailed off and shrugged, "Besides, you will never let me return back to Konoha, not alive at least."

"What makes you so sure of that?" At the query Sasuke's smiled mockingly.

"Because I am everything you stand against; the very fact that a betrayer could one day be allowed succour, and returned his Clan rights and standing, no matter how dimished its worth, that is intolerable to you. No, in your eyes I am already dead….maybe there is some truth in that."

Naruto remained unmoving for a while; silence grew between them.

"I will kill you Sasuke" Naruto affirmed once again.

Sasuke smiled; no longer mocking or playful. Just a simple smile.

"You will try"

Seconds after both stiffened. Their necks snapped to the side, tension mounted in them.

 _Sakura!_

* * *

Shino didn't want to be the one to admit it, but cold logic and hive structural integrity forced him to concede.

This mission was a shambles. The chances of succeeding had fallen well below tolerable levels and sooner or later one, possibly all of them, would lose their lives.

Still, if there even was a slim chance…..

"The last door, I believe that is the one we are looking for" He murmured softly as they sped through the corridor.

"Yeah, the barrier seal tags splayed across its surface tends to be a give-away, but you can never truly tell with these things." Shino glanced over to Sai; he almost sighed as the Root Nin held up his note pad. Shino had several of his bugs run discreet surveillance and the report was near baffling to the usually unflappable Aburame.

Extracts on 'how to endear yourself to work colleagues' and 'sarcasm for dummies'. Each painstakingly written out by hand, with additional reference notes and points on timing and the definition of a 'punchline'.

Either the Root Nin was messing with them, or he genuinely was that clueless.

Still, some of those facts explained a lot about people's behaviours, something he would ponder more on later.

"We don't need to open the door, we've spent too much time hanging around as is" Sakura's stated as she reached into her pouch. She pulled out several pellets; from the look in her eyes Shino didn't need his Kikaichu to tell him those items were lethal.

The stopped right in front of the sealed door. Sakura ran through several handseals; immediately the opposing stone slid over the lining on either side of the door, as well as the top and bottom. Shortly afterward a small hole formed at the base.

"I'm creating a tunnel into the room. Seven seconds after the gas forms I'll seal the tunnels; the reaction will be energetic so it's safer this way." Sakura knelt over the hole, her hand moving to deploy the toxins. Shino and Sai shifted on either side, keeping a careful lookout.

She was just about to crack the outer shell, releasing the gas….

She barely caught the flicker, before pain shot up her arm. Her scream echoed through the corridor; Shino and Sai snapped to her aid, only to be bowled over by an unrelenting force.

Sakura whimpered as the bones in her hand creaked, slowly being squeezed by a white snake; its gold slitted and very intelligent eyes pierced through her pain and left her in terror. Once more its fangs dug into her flesh and she whimpered again.

"It is rather impolite, to come into another's home and presume to murder those who are his own."

The floor flowed like water as Orochimaru emerged, to the trepidation of the three would be assassins. Sakura managed to pry the snake off her arm and moved back into her team; the pain was acute and sending her arm into spasms.

"Such poor manners from my former village, wouldn't you agree? Kabuto-Kun…"

Shino's dread piled as the smirking Med Nin faded into view. This was definitely worst case scenario evolving before his eyes.

"I would like you to bring a message to the ones who lead your village." Orochimaru's words poured like silk; his eyes alight in dark glee, "In time, all my dreams will come true. On that day, the 'Will of Fire' will see its final flames."

Orochimaru cocked his head, his smile even more menacing and his next words sent a chill down their spines. His gaze lingered on Sakura.

"Perhaps you can carry the message…" no sooner had the words left, the floor around Sakura cracked and several large white snakes spilled upwards, surrounding her. She started and looked on in fear. Her limbs froze and she was unable to move; at speed the snakes bore down her, closing ranks despite the efforts from Shino.

Sakura screamed once and closed her eyes…

* * *

All appeared silent….

Sakura slowly let go of her tension; she unfurled, hissing at the unceasing pain in her arm and then timidly opened one eye.

She shifted her head slightly and then both eyes opened.

With everything in focus she took better stock; her jaw opened slightly and her eyes widened.

It wasn't really as silent as she thought, although no one was speaking. The air thrummed with violent energy and crackling chakra induced lightning.

Burnt out husks to her right contrasted heavily with cleanly diced white snakes to her left.

A few yards ahead of her in their fuming glory, was Naruto and Sasuke. The burnt orange feel of Naruto's chakra clashed with the dark purple flow of Sasuke's.

Both Nins faced Orochimaru and Kabuto with hostile intent.

Kabuto glanced between Orochimaru and Sasuke, confusion plain on his face. Orochimaru however was unreadable.

"Sasuke, I assume there is a reason for this madness?"

Sasuke cocked his head and smiled coldly; his cursed marks pulsing in the harsh light, "Had you picked any other target I could care less. So I will say this only once; touch her again and Oto will fall, everything you have built I will dedicate my life to destroy. Nothing will be left and not even a memory of you will linger."

"Ohh, you presume much child."

Sasuke kept the smile, however his eyes went even colder. He stepped forwards, closer to the snake Sannin.

"Look me in the eyes Snake; call me a liar….."

No one spoke for a time; no one moved.

Sasuke turned to Team Seven; his gaze lingered on the wounded Sakura, forcing Naruto to step into his line of sight.

"The things I do for you Sakura; please be more mindful in the future." Sasuke turned away from her and began walking off, only to stop and cock his head.

"Naruto, can I trust you with her care? Or do I have to seek an alternative?" He smiled at the fury from his former teammate.

Naruto was absolutely livid. His mission was a complete and utter failure. Their target was still alive; Sasuke was actually walking away under his own power and with Orochimaru and Kabuto present it was suicide to carry on any further.

"Everyone, we are leaving" He gritted out. His canines sharpened and the markings on his face deepened. His hair seemed to glow, causing Kabuto to tense; Orochimaru looked relaxed yet his eyes remained wary.

Sasuke was the only one unconcerned.

"Soon Sasuke" Naruto all but hissed out. The walls around creaked and groaned; spider cracks multiplied rapidly and pieces began to break off and fall, "-soon we will have a reckoning."

"….I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Tsunade looked over Team Seven, a perfectly constructed mask over her expressions as the verbal report was narrated.

"Jugo still lives; what's more Orochimaru is now aware that we know of his existence. The chances of getting him will increase in difficulty exponentially." She drawled out.

"Added to that, we have a platoon of Kusagakure Nins dead; fortunately enough they will be found in what's left of Orochimaru's base-" She gave a sharp glare at Naruto at the statement and receive a small nod, "-alluding to the fact that he was involved with their deaths. At which point Kusa will have to issue another hunt on the Snake or otherwise shore up their borders. At best they will reach out to us for assistance in the event he is spotted in their borders again."

"Not the results I had hoped for, but given the circumstances I will take what we have."

"Yes Hokage-Sama." Naruto tried to keep his tone neutral. Tsunade however was very familiar with his impulses; she knew very well how furious Naruto was at the situation, but most of all at himself. Getting Jugo was never going to be easy and given the layout of the Snake's base, it was a wonder they made it inside in the first place.

"Not all missions go well; for everyone we get right, half a dozen may go wrong."

"As you say Hokage-Sama"

She nodded and then stood abruptly, "It is now even more imperative we find out everything about Orochimaru, find out his hidden bases, locations, numbers, everything." She jabbed at the file on her desk "-this is just the beginning of a man-hunt; Orochimaru has lived for far too long, it is time he paid his due to Kami."

"I formally request to be included in any investigations into the Traitor Orochimaru" Naruto immediately stated.

"Denied" Came the sharp reply. Tsunade focused her gaze on him, "Your new mission assignments will be given you in a week's time. Until then I want a formal report on my desk tomorrow morning."

"All of you dismissed." She turned away from them and waited in the silence.

Soon the Elder Council would arrive; she needed to get her thoughts in order.

* * *

The sound of flesh thumping flesh echoed; Sasuke gasped in pain and couldn't control his flight. He smacked hard into desk, splintering the wood and sending much of it careening across the room.

Despite this his chuckles only grew louder.

A hand snatched him and yanked him upright and he almost choked on his mirth. His Sharingan traced another fist heading for his face but made no move to avoid the blow.

His head snapped sideways and this time it took sheer force of will to keep from blacking out. Another body blow caught him and he felt a rib snap as he went flying again.

Still, he carried on chuckling. Bleary eyed he struggled to rise, slowly and carefully pushing himself till he finally sat up.

"Are we done already?"

Dark bruises, bloodied teeth and a swollen eye; yet Sasuke still managed a grin. His macabre expression only grew as he caught Orochimaru moving for him again.

"Orochimaru-Sama, it is enough" Kabuto interceded, hoping to calm the fuming Sannin. This affair began almost the minute they stepped into their new home. For more than twenty minutes the Sannin had extracted his pound of flesh from the Uchiha.

And yet, all it seemed to do was amuse the Sharingan wielder and further irritate the Snake; Kabuto rightly feared the Sannin would be pushed so far he would kill the boy in his fit of rage.

Orochimaru still, a hiss sprung free from his lips and his skin seemed to ripple and stretch in places, as though something was crawling just underneath the surface.

"You are not too valuable for destruction Sasuke; I could easily unveil your heritage from your corpse." Orochimaru's rage was palpable.

Sasuke smirked again; the skin around his face bulged and stretched. His mouth became a gaping maw as a hand reached outwards. A head followed, with an arm shortly behind. Much like a snake, Sasuke crawled out of his old skin, mucus and other bodily fluids dripping on the floor.

He winced slightly as he rose to his full height. He rolled his shoulders and arms, flexing his limbs and checking his condition, completely fascinated with his recovery and deliberately ignoring the fuming Sannin.

"That never gets old…." Sasuke murmured as he looked over his hands. Kabuto's eyes flashed with a deliberate warning; Orochimaru continued to seethe. He stepped away from his chief Med-Nin and stalked out of the room.

"Forgive my presumptuousness _Orochimaru-Sama-"The_ snake paused as the barely deferential address and shifted his head slightly to look at the impertinent Uchiha. Sasuke's Sharingan glinted with wicked delight, "-Are you well, I couldn't help but notice that your chakra has diminished, considerably." Sasuke cocked his neck and was rewarded with an audible pop, "Had you really intended I would be in no conscious state; your anger is very real, yet your blows so….soft."

No one spoke; Orochimaru went very still and the air tasted of death. Sasuke's gaze flashed again and his smile even more terrible.

"I am sure it is of no concern, _Rest well Lord Orochimaru, Commander of Otogakure"_

Half a minute later Orochimaru left. Kabuto stood stock still as his mind tried to comprehend the situation over the last few hours.

"Sasuke" He finally let out, "Have you taken complete leave of all your senses? Do you have any idea of what madness you are playing with? You think your birth right will save you here?"

Kabuto turned to face Sasuke; he froze as the Sharingan spun a myriad deceptions.

Reality held little sway; time and substance were transient concepts; paradoxes and oxymorons created vistas.

Kabuto came back into himself with a powerful gasp; his heart raced and his lungs bellowed in need of air. He was no longer on his feet; his legs trembled as they could no longer support his weight.

Sasuke stood over him. The Uchiha leaned down and Kabuto fought every instinct to flinch away.

"Look me in the eyes Kabuto…"

* * *

Sasuke's feet stumbled down the corridor; his chest ached and his body itched. He had no fever but felt hot and cold all over.

Soft dripping disturbed him and wetness across his mouth. He raised his sleeve and wiped the offending fluid. He looked it over and scowled.

Blackish ichor, again from his nose. The rotted stench was familiar and just as unbearable.

He flicked his hand away and carried on forcing through the discomfort.

 _Soon Itachi, very soon._

* * *

 _ **A.N. - And that wraps up another chapter. This one has been fun to work on. DJMeyer i hope it was worth the wait; while the combat was a little light between them it wasn't really time for either to throw down. I also wanted this to reflect Naruto's first real mission failure.**_

 _ **I will continue to expand on Sasuke's situation, Naruto's issues with Byakuya and Sakura's dilemma; is it me or did Konoha put all the basket cases together on one team; it's amazing only one defected (technically Sakura would have if Sasuke decided to take her along).**_

 _ **One final question - I am not a huge fan of Karin and Suigetsu. That said Karin's utility is not to be underestimated an i could work with her. Suigetsu...ugh.**_

 _ **So, do i include one, both, or neither? Karin is a more sure thing; Suigetsu I am likely to drop; i will take views into consideration, at this point i'm fleshing out ideas.**_

 _ **only two/three new names i see? Silent Analyst, ramze & Td03? not sure but if you're new then welcome and old hands welcome back. drop a review if you can and i'll see you all on the next chapter.**_


	22. Old Game - Time Out

_**A.N Hey all, welcome to another chapter - this had a few rewrites and i think i'm finally satisfied with it. Hopefully it's still up to par, i'll let you all be the judges.**_

 _ **I am still blown away at the support; its more than i actually expected or even hoped when i started - At some point i'll go back and do some major editing with grammar and punctuation, quite a few have sent messages to that effect.**_

 _ **Either way thank you all for the likes, faves and reviews - they are well and truly appreciated - As is custom; to new fans welcome, to old hands welcome back.**_

 _ **Onwards to Glory**_

* * *

Another day, another cliff head, another vista.

Itachi calmly observed the view before him, as he paid silent homage to a fallen acquaintance.

 _No, he and Sasori had been more than acquaintances…._

 _…_ _.but less than friends._

The Ex-Suna Nin had been interesting to observe and even more so to converse with. A little over a decade stood between them, their philosophies stood apart, their combat tactics and battle acumen were polar opposites.

However, both respected the others skill and accomplishments.

Sasori had been the last to truly know Itachi; only one other could have boasted such a feat, the equally dead Uchiha Shisui.

Itachi blinked as the wind picked up slightly. He brushed a stray hair from his eyes.

To Itachi; out of all the Akatsuki Nins, Sasori's placement was strange. He had very little reason or motivation towards Akatsuki's end goals or ideals, and yet his loyalty could not be called into question. When Orochimaru defected it had taken action from Pain to keep the vendetta spurred by Sasori from derailing their carefully planned activities.

And so Itachi studied him, as he did the other members of the shadow organisation; from there it didn't take long for Itachi to understand the enigmatic puppet master.

Commitments mattered to Sasori, commitments and truth. He was a man of three parts; one part historian, one part philosopher and one part ninja. All three made him exceptionally deadly; a sharp mind with a myriad bodies.

In Sasori Itachi had found a kindred spirit. It was such a shame that they were never paired together; still for the time the puppet master had been alive their conversations had been adequate.

Itachi brushed his hair from his face again and glance to his side; a small sake jug and two saucers lay innocently. Slowly he reached for the jug and poured two servings of the sake.

"Here is to you, Akasuna-No-Sasori"

Itachi poured out one of the saucers into the wind. He picked up the second saucer and calmly drank the contents.

Another serving passed through his lips. The sake warmed its way down and he looked to his other side; two scrolls lay innocently, open and their contents clear for all too see. Itachi didn't need to go over them again, he had already memorised their words and intent.

Sasori had known him. Sasori had _truly_ _known_ who Uchiha Itachi really was; his goals, his dreams.

Sasori had always known a great many things. But this; this could have unravelled many things best left forgotten. And yet, for whatever reason he had taken those secrets with him to the grave. A part of Itachi despaired against the loss of the puppet master….but also a strong sense of relief. In the last year or two, the puppet master's behaviour seemed to spiral, at least to the untrained eye. Itachi and Akatsuki however knew that something had caught the Ex-Suna Nin's attention, captured it in a way marble captured the attention of a master sculptor. Sasori had gone from quietly respectful, distant and sarcastic, to quietly flippant and sarcastic.

In an organisation such as Akatsuki, made up of some of the most dangerous S-Ranked Ninjas in the shinobi world, none could deny Sasori was among the most deadly. His power wasn't visible, obvious or brash. It was precise, surgical, and cold.

Itachi would miss him; he would miss their conversations.

He glanced at the scrolls once again. The contents were enlightening, further reminding him what a threat Sasori had been in life.

"Even in death, you still offer gifts, and call in debts….very well, old friend."

"I will do this for you; I admit I am rather curious how it all turns out….it is just a shame; I may not live long enough to see it all"

Itachi absently rubbed his chest as he looked over the horizon.

* * *

 _New Base – Otogakure_

Things within Sound had grown tense. It was merely days after Orochimaru's arrival; all had heard of the altercation between the Sannin and Uchiha Sasuke. No one could relax; all of Sound literally held their collective breath.

Something was going to happen; it was inevitable.

Sasuke however, lived life without concern. His Sharingan eyes looked over his fingers, turning his hand back and forth as chakra shaped into lightning danced between the digits. The door to the room quietly opened and a figure moved in measured steps, stopping just opposite the young Uchiha.

If Sasuke was aware he gave no sign, merely content to observe his chakra. The figure inclined its head and slowly shifted into stance. One moment he was very still….

-the next he was in motion, hurtling towards Sasuke and poised for an attack.

Lightning surged around Sasuke as he stepped away from the attack. His movements were simply and elegant. His attacker spun on his heel and came again for another blitz strike. Once again Sasuke shifted from the blow, simple motions keeping him out of harm's way.

His attacker paused for a brief moment; he cocked his head as he appraised Sasuke, and then gave a quick nod. Chakra roared and a hundred fists seemed to descend on Sasuke.

Sasuke shifted slightly and smirked; lightning arced across his Sharingan.

As each blow came Sasuke's hand struck back, stopping each fist in its tracks. His hand was a blur, working in tandem with the power of his Sharingan; each path traced in perfect accuracy, each route mapped even as they only began.

Sasuke's neck pulsed; the cursed seal spread.

His opponent took in a deep breath but carried on regardless. No longer content with fists he threw his whole being into the fight. Sasuke smirked as his opponent's pace increased, trying desperately to keep momentum.

It was in vain.

With one step Sasuke shifted out of range. His opponent floundered as he met no resistance. With a second step Sasuke was back in; chakra thrummed and crackled with lightning as he jabbed his opponent's stomach. With his victim bent double Sasuke's knee rose up, sending him skyward. With a spin Sasuke's foot lashed out, catching his exposed jaw and sending him hurtling for the far wall.

His opponent crashed with the sound of thunder. Sasuke calmly lowered his leg and surveyed the situation.

"It seems your heart is not in this today Leon" Sasuke appraised as he attendant extracted himself from the wall. He watched carefully as the rough almost granite like texture around Leon's arms and sides slowly receded; given the chakra activity he was willing to bet his back was more of the same.

"My utmost apologies Sasuke-Sama" Leon said with his head bowed.

Sasuke kept his gaze locked on the Nin before scoffing and closing his eyes. The cursed seal receded and his Sharingan faded behind his eyelids, leaving his black orbs once again.

"It is of no consequence at this time." Sasuke strode passed, "Come, as you are unable to fulfil this duty we shall find another task to which you will be suited."

"As you say Sasuke-Sama." That was one reason Sasuke kept the older Nin as a retainer. No boasts, no pathetic displays of subservience. And absolutely no excuses.

He simply went about his duties with calm dignity.

Their footfalls echoed in the caverns. They wound through the corridors until the stopped at a door, leading into Sasuke's rooms.

Leon held the door open. Sasuke walked in and immediately went for the wet rooms. Leon glanced around the room, carefully noting everything and finding nothing amiss.

"I grow tired of waiting for you Leon. You are not usually this reticent, especially if you feel it is important" Sasuke's voice sailed into the room.

"I am still unsure you have considered the full ramifications of what you are proposing Sasuke-Sama. Your power may have grown, but if we act on what you are suggesting there is no guarantee." Leon replied. Steam slowly coiled around the room and he leaned against the wall.

Since their encounter with Konoha, Sasuke's behaviour had been all over the place. Preliminary examinations detected some hormonal imbalance but nothing stood out. After he had been treated and the test concluded, Sasuke had called Leon and proceeded to send his mind racing.

 _Our time in Oto has come to an end._

Leon had been too shocked at the time to do anything but nod; however he also had the impression that anything other than agreement would have been met with his swift demise. It was not even a full week since they moved into the new base, Sasuke over the course made it clear they would be moving swift.

Leon sighed quietly, pondering how they would accomplish this feat.

"There is no guarantee we would wake tomorrow should we fall asleep. Does that mean we stay awake all night? I could just as easily keel over as I speak to you; certainly the many test and modifications under the Snakes care have all been gratefully received, yet still who knows….." Sasuke trailed off.

Leon glanced at the doorway dividing the rooms, "Given that analogy, would it not be better to stay? That way nothing befalls you. Besides, you know very well what sort of person we are beholden to…." he trailed leadingly.

"Leon" The sound of water had stopped, footfalls grew closer and Sasuke stepped into view, "This is going to happen. I have everything the Snake had to offer, it is time to move on from this place."

Sasuke padded into the room. Steam rose from his body as chakra dried the excess moisture. His towel dropped and Leon averted his gaze.

"Orochimaru will not let us go so easily Sasuke." Leon tried once more.

"Orochimaru will not have a choice. And besides-"Sasuke stepped back in a simple robe, the Uchiha symbol emblazoned boldly on the back; Leon noted the dark amusement and anticipation running wild in his eyes. "-given the Snake's current health, it will be much easier to remove him."

Leon focused sharply; Sasuke nodded in approval.

They padded softly into an adjacent room; a table laid out for Sasuke. The Uchiha ignored the meal and moved further into the room. He inclined his head to a chair; Leon sat once Sasuke had taken the other chair.

"Kabuto had me run through a series of exercises and tests. Not unusual, however given the level of apprehension from the support staff and the fiasco earlier, I took a greater interest in the results and their intentions." Sasuke paused a moment.

"Kabuto was tight lipped, but his supports are another story. With a little persuasion it has come to my attention that Orochimaru's body is breaking down faster than anticipated. He is looking to change hosts and there are worries that if he moves too early it will worsen the rejection stages. However if he doesn't change hosts he will continue to suffer debilitating and crippling issues; it is also possible that for extended periods he would be completely defenceless."

Leon puzzled through the statement and then leaned forward with a jolt. Sasuke smirked in satisfaction.

"The beating?" Leon queried. Sasuke nodded.

"The Snake _was_ furious, and he did intend to deal with me. I suspected, and now I know; at this moment Orochimaru is weak, painfully weak. And so he is looking to take on a new host regardless of any future risks. And he wants to do so as soon as possible, otherwise-"

"-there is a real possibility he won't be strong enough to stop you." Leon finished as he leaned back into his chair; an explosive sigh left his lips and his mind whirled with activity.

"If" Leon stopped; he licked his lips and began again, "If we do this, we must be quick and beyond ruthless. There are some here who are fiercely loyal to Orochimaru-Sama. I myself can only slow down Kabuto-Sama so much as well; it will have to be you who disables him before doing away with Orochimaru-Sama."

"That was never in doubt."

Leon nodded again and his posture shifted, more cautious. "Sasuke, my sister…."

Sasuke looked his attendant over, his gaze was cold.

"The quicker we accomplish my goal, the safer she will be. When it starts she will be here, in these rooms and out of harm's way. You will not act straight away; only when you get my signal will you strike."

"Understood. When do we begin?"

"…Tomorrow, for now focus your mind. I need you sharp for what lies ahead."

* * *

 _Konoha Training Grounds_

Naruto snarled in fury as he felt his jutsu slip. The air crackled and seemed to crumple in on itself. Several trees splintered under the strain. Cracks and distortion appeared over the world visibly; a deep rumble echoed from everywhere and nowhere, sending shooting pains through Naruto's ears; it was as though the universe itself voiced its displeasure.

Naruto kept pushing; his chakra flooded out of him in cascading waves, each one stronger than the last. His hair glowed unearthly; at this point it couldn't even be called hair, just pure chakra. Symbols and sigils flickered all around, appearing and disappearing in rapid succession.

The pressure was growing more intense with every second; Naruto felt as though his very bones were shaking themselves to pieces. He felt a soft dripping from his nose and he knew immediately he was bleeding. His vision blurred and tinted red, but that only served to worsen his mood.

He does not fail, in anything.

Uzumaki Naruto does not fail!

Failure was for the weak, the incompetent and the foolish. And he was none of those things.

His livelihood, his dreams, his very sanity rested on his ability to forge forwards. To _succeed._

There was no room for failure….

 **NO! Uzumaki Naruto Does Not Fail!**

…..

 ** _I grow weary of your incessant ravings child._**

Naruto's eye widened as a felt a small surge disrupt his careful control. Adrenaline spiked and his chakra hastily adjusted but the damage was done. The air stilled; seals froze half seen in the air. Naruto's heart thundered as he carefully unravelled his jutsu; messing with space-time was not to be taken lightly, especially in a state of fury.

His dread only increased as his senses picked up the extent he had destabilised the space-time borders. Already the fringes were collapsing at an astonishing rate and if they crossed with any of his seal layers and actually broke through.

Naruto threw caution to the wind and opted for speed. With nary a thought the first layers of barrier collapsed. He threw chakra into the second layers, hoping to use them as a buffer. With him at the centre he needed to move swiftly. As the second layer started to fall he flash formed another space-time bubble and took a single step.

His previous location collapsed and expanded, all at once. Shattering glass echoed all through the forest along with the sound of rushing wind.

Naruto collapsed several feet away. He rolled over the dust and groaned loudly, the sound giving way to a cry of anguish and pain. Blood pooled from his mouth and cuts and abrasions appeared across his body. His fingers were clearly broken on his left hand and the pain only grew worse.

 ** _…_** ** _..Let this pain be a lesson; you play with forces older than your forebears, older than me. That you would so brazenly shift the boundaries of the material realm, simply out of misplaced fury, you have not displayed such foolishness in a long time._**

Raw chakra seared it way through Naruto and left him gasping for air. His wounds bubbled and sealed over; broken bones shifted back into place. Within seconds he was whole.

 ** _We need to talk child. Come._**

Naruto couldn't say a word as he suddenly blacked out.

* * *

Naruto blinked and found himself over the chakra lake, the clockwork forest surrounding the edges. To his careful eyes it seemed to have grown some and the Fire Mountains seemed even more menacing.

He glanced back into the lake, the reflection faded, replaced by Kyuubi's presence.

 ** _"_** ** _You perplex me"_** Kyuubi began as the lake stabilised; its fur bristled and its chakra simmered, **_"more of your mortal expressions that I do not care for."_**

 ** _"_** ** _On the one hand you have proven your mettle; as a warrior and more impressive a hunter, an alpha predator in a world full of prey."_**

 ** _"_** ** _And yet-"Kyuubi's_** eyes glowed with barely restrained malice and fury, **_"-you then display such heights of foolishness that I can scarcely begin to comprehend it. By the Sage's Grace I must have fallen further than I originally thought to even consider you worthy of respect."_**

"If this is more of you venting Kyuubi, then save your words. I am well aware of my folly and I don't need your very brand of vitriol." Naruto snapped back, his own chakra flickered briefly.

 ** _"_** ** _Watch your words insect. I have disembowelled warriors greater and more terrible than you could ever be."_** Kyuubi intoned, its hackles fully raised.

"Empty words, for such a 'mighty being' stuck behind cage" Naruto mocked recklessly. A part of him knew he was being petty and yet he was spoiling for a fight regardless.

Kyuubi paused a moment. Its breathing was the loudest noise around and the Biju took a good long look at his Jinchuriki.

Naruto stared back trying to look apathetic; it didn't stop a sense of dread from building.

 ** _"_** ** _It seems I have been remiss, I have given you too much latitude."_** Naruto blinked. Kyuubi's tone lacked the usual bite or hostility. In fact, if he didn't know any better, it sounded just like his tone at times; careful, measured, and dead.

A tone he used when he was well and truly furious.

 ** _"_** ** _Now understand, just what forces you play with, and understand still, what I truly am, Uzumaki Naruto."_**

Another blink, this time of shock. Never before had the Biju called him by name!

The shock flowed swiftly into terror, followed shortly by pain.

Naruto dropped to his knees and screamed in agony.

The Shiki Fujin seal lit up like a bonfire. The lake churned and bubbled over. Steam erupted and Naruto flinched from the scalding heat. The gears on the clockwork trees groaned and spun furiously, glowing red hot as chakra fed through them at an alarming pace. The sky darkened and turned red, the Fire Mountains spat their fury and cracks appeared all the way down.

Naruto looked on in pain and dread as Kyuubi continued to exert immense pressure against the seal. The Biju was not unscathed either at its attack on the seal. Large welts appeared across its fur. Wounds opened and closed in rapid succession; at one point Naruto was sure one of the Biju's eyes ruptured, only to swiftly heal over.

Throughout the attack the Kyuubi uttered not a single word or sound; it remained hunched over, utterly still as its chakra continued to strain against the seals. Naruto could only marvel, even as his voice began to give out at the pain. He dropped on his side above the lake and whimpered.

Thankfully the pressure stopped, the pain eased and began to subside. The lake continued to steam but it was no longer choppy. Several clockwork trees had toppled over and the gears jerked, out of alignment or trying to keep spinning.

Naruto just lay there, trying to regulate his breathing and pulling himself back together. Slowly and very carefully he pushed on his left hand and brought himself upright, his legs were unable to take his weight so he remained half seated half slouched on the waters. He swayed slightly but didn't fall over.

 ** _"_** ** _Do we understand each other now, Uzumaki Naruto?"_**

Naruto flinched at the deep reverb in the dull voice. Kyuubi's gaze remained neutral but ever watchful and for once Naruto wished for the usual annoyed disdain the Biju often favoured.

He swallowed and nodded once.

 ** _"_** ** _Good. Now pay attention brat, I will show you this only once."_**

Naruto desperately tried to focus, sensing the Biju's ire and not wanting to provoke it anymore. He moved to his knees and fought the urge to vomit. The Kyuubi merely continued to observe, until it was satisfied his Jinchuriki was not in danger of passing out.

Raw chakra surged again; this time it was gently but Naruto flinched and still leaned away from it. Kyuubi's gaze flashed with dark amusement and approval; however it focused on the task at hand.

Inside the seal the Biju's chakra seemed to prowl and shift; suddenly what looked like a spark went off, before shifting into a distortion, about as wide as Naruto's torso.

He looked on bleary eyed; he was well aware of what he was seeing and it shook him to the core, however his mind and body had been battered by Kyuubi so he was slow to express himself. Another presence filled his mind as the distortion solidified; the seals around the border of the lake seemed to glow with a much darker light and travelled straight down to the bottom of the lake. Kyuubi scowled and eased on his chakra. The distortion flickered and disappeared, and the pressure stopped.

"Space-Time Manipulation" Naruto uttered softly, swaying on the chakra lake. The Biju could utilise Space-Time manipulation.

His heart thudded, full of dread.

 ** _"_** ** _To your limited capacity and understanding yes, Space-Time Manipulation"_** Kyuubi intoned as it lay on all fours. **_"You mortals do not truly comprehend the forces you seek to command. Where you seem to see skill and growth I have seen an uncountable near misses and imminent annihilation."_**

 ** _"_** ** _To play with the very boundaries of reality in a fit of thoughtless rage"_** Kyuubi snarled the last word and surged forwards, slamming into the lake barrier. His fury rose once more and spittle flew out, **"-** ** _You will cease such behaviour immediately. If you seek ignoble death there are a thousand and one vices that will help as such. By the red blight, I will end your existence if you truly seek death."_**

 ** _"_** ** _But hear my words now Uzumaki Naruto"_** This time the threats came out with a soft hiss, **_"If you ever attempt to play 'Kami' in such a thoughtless fashion, We will see the true strength of the Shinigami's bindings. Such an event will not go well for you."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Do you hear me Uzumaki Naruto; I will not allow my existence to simply fade because of a mortal tantrum."_**

Naruto nodded slowly again.

 ** _"_** ** _We will speak again soon brat. Now leave this place, I tire of your presence."_**

* * *

Kyuubi closed its eyes and waited until Naruto was gone, and his presence was no longer around. Sure of its solitude the Biju hissed as the pain took its toll. Its nine lustrous tails lay limp behind it, its fur matted and congealed blood stained it in several places.

He glared balefully at the seals winking in the changing light. He had a hundred years to become intimately familiar with Uzumaki sealing craftsmanship and this one was no exception in terms of capabilities.

Then again, any barrier seal forged with life in exchange and sealed by the Shinigami was not to be taken lightly. There was only one weakness, and it was found on the other side of the barrier. His chakra was only effective when the host gave in, either willingly or in desperation and survival.

Kyuubi growled part in anger and discomfort. It appeared that over time the Uzumaki sealing crafts and improved, the only solace was the Clan was dead, their very skills being their undoing. Added to that the accursed Senju were practically extinct.

And then the Uchiha….

Kyuubi's eyes glowed again.

The Uchiha too had been cut down, but Kyuubi still felt uneasy. There were at least two of the cursed eyes roaming the earth. And given the events at least fifteen years earlier…..

 _And the Young Uchiha scented by snakes; there is a darkness the likes I have not seen since... **him.**_

The Uchiha needed to die, all living needed to die and their accursed bloodline extinct.

Kyuubi could not, _would not_ seek for freedom until then.

 ** _Hurry Uzumaki Naruto. Hurry, and let me taste the fruits of freedom._**

* * *

 _Soft…._

Those were his thoughts as Naruto came to the waking world. A gentle hand was running through his hair; despite the discomfort in general, his upper body felt warm and relaxed, cocooned in safety.

His eye opened, clear blue orb blinked away the daze and locked onto his carers warm brown ones.

Time stood for a moment. Naruto breathed out slowly and closed his eye, embracing the safety and hiding in his shame.

"Tsu-Hime" His voice sounded weak to his ears and it stung.

"What were you thinking, foolish boy?" Naruto tensed slightly. She kept running her hand through his hair however so he relaxed, somewhat

"I asked you a question Otouto" Her voice sharpened and she tugged on his hair. "Just what in Kami's name is going on in your head?"

…

Tsunade growled and sighed all at once. Naruto tilted his head away from her, but she grabbed his chin and turned it back, a full tirade ready to spill.

"-I failed" Naruto's voice cut through her haze. "My first mission as Jonin, and I fail. Utterly and completely."

Naruto clenched his left fist, cursing his battered state.

"I am not supposed to fail. Not now, not when I'm so close, not when I have this rank." Naruto cut off an inhaled sharply, a soft whistling escaped him.

Tsunade paused her strokes and watched as he seemed to come undone. She pulled her hand back slightly, only to stop as Naruto grabbed hold suddenly.

The fey light in his eye shook her to the core.

"I don't fail, I am not a failure! I am not weak! Not anymore! Tsu-Hime please, I swear it won't happen like that again. No matter what I'll get the mission done-"

Naruto stopped as Tsunade pulled him close; into a hug. Her hand ran through his hair again. Slowly she felt his body tremble, chakra pulsed softly and his right arm appeared. With both arms he held tight to Tsunade as his mind struggled to pull itself together.

Tsunade rocked softly.

"Missions come and go Naruto-Kun. No one is infallible" she felt him tense and she tightened her grip. "You're alive; your team came out alive. That is something."

She pulled back slightly and gripped his face. Her eyes remained trained on his.

"If failing the mission means you come home safe; I will accept that. And no matter what comes, or what is said, you will always have a place in my heart."

"You will always have a place with me."

Tsunade knew her words resonated deep in Naruto; the madness that lurked deep behind his eye shifted at her words, and while they weren't enough to banish it away, it offered something akin to hope.

Naruto took a breath and gave a small nod.

"The Elder Council-"He began haltingly, but she cut him off.

"-Have no say in the mission results from my Shinobi" her grip remained firm, reassuring. "All factors will be considered but ultimately my word is law. I look after my Shinobi, and I look after my family."

Naruto looked on searchingly; it seemed he found what he was looking for and relaxed.

"As you say, Tsu-Nee"

Tsunade lit up at the address, causing Naruto to chuckle. With her help he rose to his feet, swaying slightly. His wounds were healed, but the soreness lingered.

Naruto looked around; he stopped short as the carnage became clear.

It wasn't just the sunken earth; it wasn't even the splintered trees and battered foliage.

The very air around the area itself felt _wrong._ What little plant life had been spared was blackened and in some cases grey. Everything looked dead and Naruto felt his hackles raise as the feeling of wrongness pervaded.

 ** _You do not fully appreciate the forces you contend with brat…_**

Naruto gritted his teeth as he witnessed the truth Kyuubi imparted to him. Space-Time Manipulation was considered one of the holy grails of Ninjutsu, but like all others it was dangerous, and every bit as lethal to an unwary user as it was to the victim, perhaps even more so.

"The forest will mend, given time" Tsunade said softly. "For now we are locking this place off; it's a small mercy you chose a remote area to vent."

At Naruto's continued silence she gave a little nudge. Naruto acquiesced and with a short burst, the faded in high speed shushin.

Even as they left, the heavy presence lingered, filled with emotion.

 _Its dark back there…I don't like it….I don't want to go back…._

 _Please….don't let me go back….._

* * *

 ** _A.N And another one down. This chapter is important to me because it touches something about Naruto that has been built into my rendition; see, he is always careful and methodical, even when things snowball he ensures he has something to mitigate any potential fallout. He is obsessive and not in a good way, and part of that obsession is built on fear - its been a running theme for him sort of._**

 ** _Also, i get to use Kyuubi again - i'm still iffy about how in cannon Kyuubi and Naruto suddenly became best buds; but it worked for them - this story, it falls apart. So they remain at odds._**

 _ **Finally it seems an almost 50/50 split between Karin and Suigetsu - in terms of reasonings however Suigetsu edges out. Karin was annoying, true. But her utility cannot be underestimated - a sensor with impressive range and depth, and unparalleled healing and chakra replenishing capability, as weird as it makes her. In any team of fighters, it is always a good idea to have a Medic of any sort.**_

 _ **That also said, Leon's sister IS a trained Medic, not as good as Karin's ability - and she's not a fangirl...hmmm.**_

 _ **Gonna think more on this.**_

 _ **Finally finally (i promise) Dzeddy & Sceptical One, i believe you're both new? Welcome and thanks for the comments - if i've missed anyone l'm sorry, i'll try and spot you next time. To my regulars thanks also for the support and feedback, you guys are the best.**_

 _ **Catch ya on the next one.**_


	23. Pick Your Battles

**_A.N. Hey all and welcome to another unfortunately late chapter. Really sorry for the delay, but it seems my personal life has taken an upturn for the first time in years - there is a strong possibility of delays over the next coming weeks, months, chapters._**

 _ **The story isn't going to be abandoned so no worries on that, i've worked to hard to get this far, but as it's more than just me now and it's early days yet, my attentions will be elsewhere.**_

 ** _I hope you can appreciate that but also thanks to the support from all of you to this point._**

 ** _Onward to Glory_**

* * *

 _The offer is open Sakura; I'll keep in touch…_

 _Are we done with this?_

 _Please Sakura….you are the only one I trust with this….._

 _…_ _.i need you for a consultation._

 _How about a trade? Oh loyal child of Konoha?_

Sakura glanced over the notes Sasuke had left her. A significant part of her wanted to burn the documents outright; nothing good came from playing with traitors.

And yet, it held potentially the names of Oto collaborators that had yet to be found. Given the damage they represented, surely it was a small price to pay…for the safety of the village?

Sakura winced and leaned back on the hospital bed; she lacked the raw resilience of her teammates and so required more care. Also the poison from Orochimaru's white snake had been particularly troublesome, despite her quick attempts to isolate it.

Fortunately Tsunade had been on hand and now she was on the road to fully recovery.

She glanced at her bound hand, tracing the faint echoes of puncture wounds. Then her mind went back to the Sasuke and his notes.

In truth it was only a small notepad; about seven pages thick. And yet Sakura could not remember holding anything as heavy. So far she had only gone through the first page.

It had no names, only a date, including time, and several coordinates around Konoha.

"Three days…" she trailed to herself as she sunk further into the bed. With her delayed recovery she would miss it.

 _Crap…._

"Ohayo Sakura-San" a familiar soft voice chimed through her pensive mood. She turned to the speaker, a smile growing on her face.

"Suzume-San" Sakura greeted. The Medic came further into the room and ran a soft hand over Sakura; tell-tale signs of Medical Jutsu flashed.

Sakura relaxed the Jutsu ran its course.

"You know you're never leaving the recovery unit right Suzume-San?" Sakura blinked rapidly; her words seemed a tad slurred, and the room felt shifty. "You're too good; all the Ninja will revolt if you move one."

Suzume chuckled quietly and shrugged. Meanwhile Sakura tried to puzzle out the problem but it felt as if her brain had missed a few sparks. She managed an accusing glare at Suzume who squirmed guiltily.

"I just need you to relax a bit Sakura. The duty staff have noted multiple times in your report you don't follow their guidelines, honestly you are just as bad as your team. Both of them in fact." Suzume ignored the frown as she continued the diagnostics.

Meanwhile, Sakura let her mind wander on her current predicament. None of her options were particularly appealing. The situation with Team Seven was more than a little precarious, and if she was brutally honest more than a little tiring.

Her eyelids dropped slowly, ushering uneasy rest. A hand brushed over her hair, and the world went dark.

* * *

 _Early hours, Konoha_

Tsunade sipped her hot tea while several files lay open before her. For the time being she would work from her residential suite before moving to the Hokage tower.

A glance to her lap made the decision fairly obvious; Naruto shifted, his face turning inwards to her bosom. A hand swiftly went to his hair and he relaxed immediately.

Naruto had been fairly reluctant to leave the day before, and Tsunade herself had been in no real hurry to let him go. He had meandered around the tower while she worked, spending much of it in the office by window. At the end of the day neither had been ready to part so Shizune suggested he spend the evening at their home.

Tsunade glanced at the second futon beside her; Shizune looked so peaceful it was a crime to disturb her. Her attendant snuggled with Tonton and had one hand tight on Tsunade's robe.

Tsunade chuckled quietly at the two she called family.

 _Three….._

The warmth slowly faded as she considered another individual; Jiraiya's latest message was confusing and worrying. Naruto's initial concerns had been valid and much of his contacts were either missing or dead. The loss of information was crippling and left them scrambling to regroup.

Jiraiya was going to be abroad for much longer than anticipated, and as skilled as he was it was becoming increasingly clear that Akatsuki were not to be underestimated and had been playing all angles for longer than anyone realised.

 _Akatsuki_

She frowned as another sheet fell from her fingers. The information they had on Akatsuki was limited, very much so, and that made them more dangerous.

She leaned back against the wall and sighed. She panned her head over the room, trying to stave off her headache, when she caught sight of Byakuya.

The now infamous puppet was knelt in the far corner, close to the door. Tsunade cocked her head an appraised the battle weapon; at that moment, Byakuya looked and felt more like a retainer, a guardian to its lord. Its posture was correct and upright, yet lacked rigidity. It was self-assured and fluid, indicating a readiness and decisiveness about it.

She could do without the glow in its eyes though; and in the shifting light it felt worse.

Naruto's preferred weapon choice; the Hades Forge was in easy reach in the event of an attack; all in all it cut an impressive figure.

Tsunade looked up again to its face and blinked. Once were the eyes seemed to bore into hers, if she didn't know any better they were now focused on the stirring figure situated on her lap.

 _Stirring…_

Her eyes widened and she glanced down, just in time to see a blue orb meet her gaze. She wouldn't admit on the pain of death; seeing a freshly woken Naruto, with the vestiges of sleep in his eye was too _adorable!_

"Maybe sometime today you'll get off, no hurries though." Tsunade said softly with a voice full of mirth. Naruto sharpened as he took in his environment, then groaned and shut his eye as he tried to hold back is embarrassment.

"Please Tsu-Nee, it's too early to start teasing." He muttered under his breath as his face remained concealed. Despite the fact he couldn't see it her could practically hear and feel and shark eating grin.

"Oh really? Care to see what time it is? Honestly you're as bad as Shizune today" She paused and cocked her head, "The fact that of the three of us, I'm the most active right now is disturbing and unpleasant."

Naruto shifted to look out the window but stopped; he gaped at Tsunade only to get an impish grin back. His brain rebooted and he gave a soft snort, before his head fell back into her lap. Mumbled words flew from him as he made himself comfortable.

"What was that, didn't quite hear you" Tsunade said sweetly as she tugged on his hair; Naruto winced and glared at the mistreatment.

"He said the Hokage should be the leader and exemplar to all in the village and wondered how we survived this long with your habits." A drowsy voice picked up to the side. Tsunade shifted; a wounded look about her as she faced a crabby Shizune.

"Shizune" she whined but received no sympathy. Naruto snorted then smoothed his expression as Tsunade snapped back to him.

Shizune shook her head the byplay, and then rose from her futon.

"The early shift is almost gone; we need to move, the village won't run itself"

"Mores' the pity" Tsunade grumbled as she unceremoniously dumped her charge. A slight motion caught her attention; barely a ghost of movement. She turned towards it's and faced Byakuya again.

Nothing about it seemed strange; she frowned slightly, confused.

 _Those eyes, they are too creepy. Two different colours…_

Byakuya's mismatched orbs, one orange the other purple. Tsunade kept careful watch on the puppet, almost suspicious.

Then she blinked rapidly, confused as to her reactions to a combat doll.

Naruto rose to sit beside her, brushing shoulders lightly. He cast his gaze casually around the room, until he caught sight of his puppet.

Both stayed unmoving; time stilled. Tsunade felt a pulse of _something_ between the two.

Shizune grumbled and moved groggily between the two, heading for the bathroom.

Her passing seemed to break the spell; the moment passing just as it started.

Naruto stretched and slowly pushed himself to his feet. Tsunade watched with interest as he seemed to support his weight on his _missing hand._ As though drawn to her gaze the air around it rippled, revealing the prosthetic limb.

"I have to remind myself from time to time that I still have it." Naruto said casually as he flexed his fingers. The fibre bundles flexed much like real muscles under tension. The plates over his finger clicked open and slid away, revealing the sharp and deadly talons. The talons glowed red hot, leaving a faint trail of smoke in the air as Naruto moved the fingers. The cylindrical locks around the shoulder hissed and spun open; seal scripts lit up all across the limb and chakra ran freely along its surface.

With a sigh Naruto ceased the activity. The finger plates slid back into place and locked with a firm click. The cylindrical locks spun closed and the seals flashed once before fading.

Naruto rolled his shoulder and grunted, "So far it's good. Hiding it may be redundant now I think about it." he rolled his neck and frowned, "Kisame has seen the previous model, he won't fall for the same trick again. Sasori required nothing less than hundred percent effort."

Tsunade nodded at the assessment.

"It's true; with Akatsuki your deception is wasted and detrimental. Outside them though it depends; Is the advantage worth it?"

Naruto remained pensive, but left the arm exposed. His finger twitched; Byakuya rose to its feet. The puppets chest seemed to flex and its shoulders rolled. The Hades Forge was planted firmly in front of it; two of its arms rested on the shield proper, while the other two rested on the pommel.

Tsunade turned to see Naruto scoff unperceptively at his puppets show. The blonde Jinchuriki moved across the room; as he swept passed he gave a deliberate shoulder check to the puppet.

Byakuya was solid though; like a towering structure, firm and unyielding.

Naruto's shoulder was the one to give way. The Jinchuriki growled and slammed through the door to the restroom.

Tsunade blinked; unsure of what to make of the scene. Meanwhile Byakuya remained standing as though locked into place, although Tsunade could just tell the faint traces of chakra from the puppet that she recognised with her little brother.

The scary part was she wasn't sure Naruto _realised_ he was doing it; it wasn't a conscious decision on his part.

Suddenly Byakuya clicked; multiple gears spinning. The puppet stirred slightly and shifted its gaze to the main door. Tsunade had barely enough time to start when her instincts kicked in and told her a presence was outside her home.

"Tsunade-Sama" she relaxed slightly at the voice; one of many Chunin attendants she was familiar with, "A message from Jiraiya-Sama. Intelligence has begun decoding it and report they will have the details by midday."

"Good." Tsunade mused over the message. As she did Shizune and Naruto both padded silently into the room.

"Naruto I need you on standby" She turned to him and continued, "Most of our Chunins and Jonins are in play; there are few with your level of skill available on hand."

Naruto nodded.

"Before anything though" Tsunade looked like she swallowed a particularly foul lemon, "We need to sort things with the Elder Council" she saw him tense at the statement; Tsunade crossed the distance and place her palm on his bare chest. "Leave them to me" she intoned softly, promise glowing in her brown orbs.

Naruto held her gaze. Byakuya shifted in the background and a few gears clicked; Naruto relaxed and closed his eye.

"As you say, Tsu-Nee."

* * *

Danzo had learned over the years the value of patience; to mask one's true emotions and focus on the end goals.

That did not prevent him from being irritated. The only fortune was that he had Homura and Koharu to show those displeasures on his behalf. And with Tsunade's fairly aggressive stance it was becoming more prevalent as time passed. What he considered a blessing was quickly becoming a problem.

"Tsunade you are stretching the terms of cooperation" Homura could barely hide the trace amounts of frustration in his tone despite the impassive look he bore. "Omitting such pertinent details from an official report no less, it is an unforgivable breach-"

"-And pray tell, how was there such a breach?" Tsunade drawled as she cut him off, her eyes glinted with a dark light.

"You had us believe that Uchiha Sasuke was the point of interest in this venture against Orochimaru, former member of the Sannin" Koharu bit out in her usual waspish manner.

"I don't recall any names in the summaries provided" Tsunade replied airily as she leaned back. She turned slightly to the ANBU Commander, "I might have missed that in the documents provided, perhaps?"

The ANBU Commander merely held up the document, the relevant text highlighted,

 _Location of 'mission critical' identified. Subject is of significant interest of Konoha and would be invaluable in efforts to hinder all future Otogakure operations._

 _On sight recommendation: immediate retrieval of 'package' and extraction to Konoha Borders. Failing retrieval subject is to be terminated with extreme prejudice._

 _Subject value to current Otogakure Leadership = S-Ranked._

The irritation only grew on Homura and Koharu at the succinct delivery; Tsunade however kept smiling.

"I believe that clears matters nicely yes? And while I can understand some individuals concerns with regards to the 'Uchiha-"At the name Tsunade's voice tinged with mocking and disgust, "-I am sure it is understandable that Konoha has other more _urgent_ priorities, than simply playing with a juvenile."

Danzo leaned forwards, halting any comment from his colleagues.

"And why was this information kept from us? Knowing the true target of this raid changes the scenario completely _Hokage-Sama._ The Shinobi world is not static or rooted as firmly as one may believe. It is fluid, dynamic; context is everything and being left in the dark is dangerous Tsunade."

Tsunade turned toward him the smile fading as she squared herself, "Indeed, and as the designated head of this military organisation it is my uncontested right to determine what levels of information are most pertinent and more importantly who merits the information in respect of the value obtained from its dissemination."

"The Elder Council was given enough information as context allowed; if you made a conclusion to any contrary then it clearly tells of your desires now doesn't it?" The comment stopped the Councillors short.

"Also," another file found its way towards them, sliding along the table. She gave a negligent wave but the intense look in her eyes gave them pause. Koharu reached for the files, never taking her eyes of the suddenly dangerous woman, once she had it to chest level she glanced down at the information.

The sudden intake of breath alerted Homura and Danzo and the attentions quickly fell to the file.

"How many files? How many sleepers?" Koharu's tone fell neutral to Homura's alarm and Danzo's suspicions.

"Unknown and unknown, although for the latter we estimate no more than five at this point" came the reply from the ANBU Commander. Seeing Koharu's eyebrows raise Tsunade shrugged, "Less than we feared but more than we liked."

"I see"

"Do you though?" Tsunade leaned forward sharply. "This information was taken from Orochimaru's base; a base he was cleaning out so who knows how many files have already been transferred. And this document is almost a word for word replica of our latest contingencies against _Sand!_ A report I reluctantly agreed and signed off at the arguments of my Jonin Commander and this Council."

"Can you imagine the ramification if Orochimaru decided this information was far more valuable on the _open market?!_ "

"And what does this security oversight have to do with the Elder Council" Homura imperiously queried, his gaze hovering over the file, "As you are so very fond of stating matters of security are strictly for the purview of the Hokage and those she deems eligible."

If anything the atmosphere went darker and a shadow seemed to fall over Tsunade and the ANBU Commander.

"As present there are only two variations of this report; each one imbedded with markers. No two markers are the same." The ANBU Commanders neutral tone seemed to grow ominous with each word, "One report was provided for the Jonin Commander…the other to the Elder Council; the only stipulation was none of these documents were to be filed or in any other way be compromised."

"Would you care to guess, which variation was found in Orochimaru's possession?"

Homura laid the document quietly on the table; no one spoke.

"We are loyal Tsunade" Homura's tone was tired, quiet; Tsunade blinked slightly at the change, even Koharu looked uneasy and cast a worried gaze at her companions.

Danzo however, remain unmoving.

"I am aware; it is the only reason you are still before me" Tsunade shrugged as she leaned back, "No security is absolute, that said I'm sure you three will now appreciate the level of _discretion_ taken in terms of future operations. You will be provided with the details necessary to render an unbiased judgement. For now though, my commanders and I will re-evaluate what little we have recovered and prepare a response."

"And what of Uzumaki?" Danzo finally queried.

Tsunade turned towards him, "What of him? There will be a mark on his file noting the failure as per protocol and an extract for future reference. Beyond that no further action will be taken.

Danzo's stare met grim resolve and a promise for retribution should he voice any other way. In this case it was no loss to the old Ninja; he closed his eye and gave a soft nod.

"Well then, it would appear the matter is closed. Lead our people well Hokage-Sama; these are dangerous times."

* * *

 _Konoha Training Grounds_

The gentle rumble of earth played in tandem with the beating of ceremonial drums. The tempo was deliberate, building into crescendos, only to suddenly drop, the rumble just discernible enough for the fever to continue; interspaced in between was the clash of blades; iron against iron, the grunt of fighter's and the shifting winds.

Gears spun, air parted; all contributing to the deadly dance. The keeper sat on his hunches; his ancient eyes missing nothing of the display. Behind him in a rough half circle were the ceremonial drummers; their calls stirring the hearts of the fighters and offering clarity.

The fighters seemed to move with the tempo; every swipe, every motion resonated deep with the rumble of the earth, the desperate charge at a crescendo and the abrupt shifts in tactics at the fall in the beat.

Sweat poured on one side; matted and heavy fur drooped on the other.

Naruto dug his heels as he was forced backwards; deep tracks etched into the ground. His mouth remained firmly closed, unwilling to give voice to the exertion. Chakra cascaded through his hair and his puppets replied; his wolves sprung from either side of him, their launchers primed and deterring any would be attackers.

Up ahead his warmonger moved with the ferocity of a wild beast; it motions aggressive and predatory, its sharp talons gleaming in the light, scything through the air. Its armoured carapace also looked fresh, save for a few new scars and scratches. The head had been redesigned to look more like a drake; its current configuration had its claw glowing with heat seals and caused the ambient temperature around the puppet to rise, distorting the air.

Its opponent though was not making it easy; Amon seemed to dance in the wind, each move keeping him out of reach of the Warmonger's sharp talons. The lagomorph's swords rang out as the scrapped across the armoured carapace. The mismatched orbs of seemed serene, to the point of almost glazed, despite this it was alert to the slightest motions. The ground seemed to faintly ripple with each step, propelling the lagomorph with unexpected force.

Meanwhile a few yards away; if Amon was like wind, the Koga was water. While it lacked the verve of Amon it was much more fluid, refined. For the white furred noble it was more craft than combat. And yet his blows held a power like the crashing of waves, a tsunami threatening to swallow up all that lay before it.

Unlike Amon, Koga's features bore is irritation, along with grudging respect. Hovering above the lagomorph was the Valkyrie puppet. Both underslung launchers on its arms were primed and singing with chakra. Blankets of metal were spat out in waves as it sped in tight loops. Koga's gaze sharpened and his chakra shifted; a faint shimmer coloured the air around him, stretching out like a dome, pulsing like a heartbeat. Slowly, almost in a lazy action, he plucked the individual shurikens from the air, whilst side stepping the kunais. Each stack was then sent back in return, whistling loudly through the air. A similar shimmer appeared around the Valkyrie, only this one ticked, much like the sound of gears. Each time the puppet would drift out of harm's way, and another storm of metal spewed forth.

All this happened rapidly, in the space of seconds. Neither side willing to give in.

All that paled however, to the showdown between the final pair.

A thunderous blow rang out in the distance. Pulses of chakra, inter spaces with shockwaves, sang through the air. Everything was rapid and brutal.

Ranek grunted as he was forced backwards, digging his hind legs into the ground. He spun his halberd as he slowed, and leaped forwards with an overhead blow; the blade shimmered, sheathed in space-time distortions. The halberd came to sudden stop; another shockwave rang out as the distorted space-time clashed with another space-time distortion.

Ranek grunted as his attack was effectively neutralised by Byakuya's shield. The panels hidden in the puppets back vented bursts of compressed air and chakra, keeping the puppet upright. Darts fired from the launchers built into Byakuya's neckline. Ranek's paw quickly rose up, folding space and diverting the darts away, however it lost him his leverage. Byakuya's shifted his bulk and the Lagomorph began to slip, his halberd scraping across massive shield. With Ranek completely vulnerable Byakuya struck; the puppet side-stepped with a spin, putting him to the exposed side of his opponent. As he moved the he locked his sword into shield and chakra flared; the distorted space-time seemed to split, covering both sword and shield. As he came to a stop he pulled the sword out with a flourish, the blade now shimmered with distortions, ready to cut through Ranek.

Ranek however vulnerable hadn't been idle; the lagomorph spun in the air and tried to use his halberd as a pole vault. Seeing the sword incoming he grimaced and braced himself; his left paw shimmered again with space-time distortions, this time it became smooth and flat, like a glass wall. The ensuing shockwave sent Ranek hurtling backwards at speed. Byakuya kept up the pursuit; the sword locked into place once more, the shield spun its gears and rotated, forming the large axe. Seals scripts lit up its edges and the distortions grew more visible and chaotic. With one step Byakuya crossed the distance and the axe head sang for Ranek.

The Lagomorph's red eye narrowed, respect and thrill shone through its ruby menace.

The blade slowed suddenly; Byakuya visibly struggled to keep pushing. Cracks appeared in the air, an unearthly screech sounded as the folds of space-time bled over each other. Naruto could only sense in disbelief the multiple layers of bent space surrounding the grizzly Archon. As each layer fell the force required to break through increased exponentially, and with the two other battles holding his attention it was becoming more difficult.

Heat built up within him; a warm pulsing fed through his limbs. The orange-red streaks in his golden hair flashed and his chakra strings tinged with a faint redness. His puppets stiffened, almost immediately becoming more menacing and more powerful.

The seekers eyes narrowed at the change; the ceremonial drummers picked up the difference and their beats shifted with a warning.

Ranek stiffened with a frown. He cast a quick glance to the Seeker; seeing the expression and approval the Archon nodded and took a deep breath.

The bent space-time around him dropped sharply, causing Byakuya to overreach. Ranek dropped low with unusual speed and grace, far more than he had ever shown. With a quick swipe the threads connected to Byakuya were cut.

 _Spatial-Lock_

A border appeared around Byakuya; space bending and folding around him, caging him in place. Ranek appeared suddenly on top, seals running over his left power.

 _Key – 15 Seconds_

Seals bathed the newly formed prison, one Naruto had no hope of unravelling quickly. A kanji for locked appeared, bordered by a timer that ticked down. Before he could decipher or even guess however, Ranek was on the move.

With one step he was in front of Naruto. His halberd was left spinning in the air as both paws lit up with chakra and seal scripts.

 _Restrain!_

With a loud roar the grizzly lagomorph drove his paws into Naruto's sternum, knocking him senseless. Immediately the growing chakra spluttered and seemed was forced out of back, dissipating into the air. Naruto gasped and fell to his knees; immediately his other two puppets stopped and crumpled. Valkyrie plummeted from the sky and would have smashed into the hard earth, only for Koga to reach out and swiftly catch the falling puppet.

* * *

"Exquisite craftsmanship…for one such as you" Koga commented as he unceremoniously dropped the puppet too the earth. He drew closer to the passed out Jinchuriki, "I have enjoyed this exercise, and perhaps he may yet have something to offer us."

Amon came up next and gently placed the warmonger beside Naruto.

"Lord Koga speaks wisely, I believe he is worthy of us. I am in favour of his inclusion." The soft spoken Lagomorph intoned.

"Ranek?" The Seeker queried of the final and leader of the Archons.

"He will do well. He has the right to call us for aid." Ranek grunted and shifted his weight.

The Seekers gaze lit up and a soft hum echoed.

"Very well." He turned to the Jinchuriki, lying face down in the dirt, completely out cold. "There is much for you to still learn, but for now it is enough."

"Welcome to our clan, Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

 _ **A.N. Another chapter down, short and hopefully sweet. next few chapters things will finally pick up and the story will progress.**_

 _ **As i've rushed to get this one out no shout-outs to newcomers unfortunately. I will make a note on the next one however and answer all questions i may have missed.**_

 _ **Thanks again and keep the love of words alive.**_


	24. No Respite The Clock Hands Turn

**_A.N. Hello everyone, and Happy start to a brand New Year._**

 _ **To new faces i say welcome and to returning friends, welcome back. it's been a while since i posted - the wait is over and a new chapter. I needed the extended break but i should be back into the flow of things.**_

 ** _As always i will answer any queries at the bottom and shout outs to new faces; if i miss any its not intentional and let me know in the comments._**

 ** _Also, thank you again for the reviews and critiques, i cant express my gratitude enough for the support._**

 ** _Onwards to Glory._**

* * *

 _Nothing is truly safe; nothing is absolute. The greatest walls can have the tiniest of cracks, even the most flawless of pearls, start with imperfection at its core. Through one act a grand white sheet is mired by the tar of men…_

 _Konoha is sick; there is a rancour that runs deep into her core…to her very roots. If the leaves are bad, the tree is safe; such leaves can be cut off, a minor loss to protect the mighty tree._

 _However, should her roots be the cause of peril, if her rot was deep within her core; such would be devastating to the existence of the tree._

 _We must uncover this sickness that festers in Konoha; I pray only that we are not too late._

Kakashi crouched silently in the trees, completely invisible to everything around. A bird flew in, not two feet from him and completely missed his presence, content to sing to the morning light. To the average mind the shinobi's eye looked dead; the reality was however he was processing everything in sight at a rapid pace, and somethings that could only be inferred.

This was the third black sight he had scouted for the Hokage. The third location where his findings only seemed to add more and more to his disquiet.

It was the second place he survived an ambush.

He glanced just below, to the base of the tree. Six dead bodies, or what remained of them, he hadn't been able to do a preliminary exam before they caught ablaze suddenly. No visible identifiers, no recognisable tell.

Nothing beyond a gut feeling. An instinct that screamed Konoha black ops. Not just any Konoha black ops, but the disavowed list, a dark history in the annals a lustrous tale. A relic of a forgotten era.

 _Konoha ANBU: Roots_

Its seemed to Kakashi those ghosts refused to stay dead; perhaps it had been wishful thinking, to believe that the organisation would simply fade away. Perhaps it had been apathy that allowed him to be swayed by Sarutobi's words, and not simply slip a dagger between Danzo's ribs early one afternoon.

 _In the world of the Shinobi, there is no bad or forgotten debt. All ledgers are red; in time all will be accounted._

 _Always, the scales are made balanced._

Kakashi felt the urge to shift but he remained defiantly still. Soon the singing bird was joined by flies; first one, then several. Slowly they hovered around blindly, before slowly but surely settling on the legendary ninja's left side. The dark blue Jonin jumper was stained almost black from congealed blood; a souvenir from one of his ambushers. It was a blow designed to kill dangerous ninjas, an attack so swift and sudden he barely had time to evade, let alone anticipate. As luck would have it, he escaped with some damage to his kidney and an unknown amount of toxins in his blood stream. From what he could tell it was designed to cripple, not kill; his targets thought to take him alive.

 _What a joke; thank Kami for crazy students and their penchant for dangerous cocktails._

As if in response to his thoughts his blood warmed, his skin itched.

Suddenly his hairs stood on end; lightning arced over his limbs and his eye tracked immediately to the right.

In a spark he was gone; lighting flashed and his poor victim couldn't help the grunt of pain as he was slammed hard through a tree.

Kakashi had the newcomer's throat in a vice while his chakra danced free. The placid, frozen gaze had given way to raw untamed fury.

"You jokers have no idea do you" his victim flinched at the acid tones; Kakashi only squeezed tighter, feeling the neck constrict and crack under his strain.

"Such. Busy. Little. Bees" with each word his grip tightened and the pressure of his chakra grew. Credit to the victim it never flailed about; it remained as still as possible, until it expired, without a word.

"Such utter scum" he swore out as he flung the now lifeless body away.

"You haven't a bloody clue, just who I am do you?!"

Any composure the Jonin was known for was completely lost; the combination of injuries, toxins and drugs flooding his system had taken its toll and he was running on sheer will and fury. His hair glowed with lightning chakra; the sharp blue energy burned brightly, slowly shifting to an eerie white light.

The shadows around him seemed to deepen and retreat in odd ways; too bad for them they had already been spotted.

Chakra surged violently. An afterimage flashed; a mirage in the light. A predator let loose.

 _A white hound; hunting in the darkness._

* * *

Shikamaru could feel the spike of irritation growing like a tumour. Ino's pointed remarks where like rusty nails to his psyche and the fact that Asuma seemed to agree however slight to her opinions was just as annoying.

He was Chunin Commander wasn't he? How many Jonins, let alone Chunins, had the security clearance that he did? Konoha was the land of the gifted true, but in terms of war assets, of strategic value, only few made that list; he was on that list.

 _Not everyone knows that…._

He sighed again and ignored the sidelong look from his best friend Choji. The wind blew and he used his hand to cover his face.

His irritation faded as the scar in his palm came into view….

 _Temari…_

She was a Jonin; she was actually one of the honour guards for her brother the Kazekage and a frequent diplomat from Suna. She was also likely to take over the Suna Fan Corps. She was accomplishing so much.

And he lingered….

He sighed again, this time his whole team turned to him, perplexed.

"Shikamaru? Are you still with us?" Asuma queried.

"Yes" He drawled out whilst leaning on the wall, his gaze lowered. "Chiriku's body is the only one we haven't found; Fire Temple is desolate, the monks wiped out. Nothing has been taken, the rooms are immaculate. The only signs of struggle are the gates and the courtyard."

"This was a crime of opportunity, if it's Akatsuki which I find most likely they thought their target would be here" Shikamaru cast a meaningful glance at Asuma; the Jonin's eyebrows rose and he nodded subtly, "Taking Chiriku however doesn't fully add up. It's the only thing out of place." Shikamaru trailed off.

"Not necessarily" All eyes turned to Asuma as he slowly put out his cigarette. "Everything has value; it's all about finding the right buyer."

Asuma's smiled seemed laced with lead, "Chiriku's head is valuable, you could buy a small town or hamlet with that kind of money."

Shikamaru blinked, "Fire Temple monk….but also something else?" seeing the look on Asuma's face his thoughts carried on, finding connections and possibilities. His gaze sharpened and narrowed.

"Chiriku was one of the twelve wasn't he? Just like you were too. That's why he was taken; it's also why you chose this route."

Ino and Choji both turned to their former sensei, eyes widened in surprise.

"The Twelve Guardians…they were supposed to be among the best of the best; the elite." Choji murmured, even as he looked his sensei over, remembering the stories.

Asuma shrugged, "No one is infallible. A staple truth of our world."

"True, but it takes more than the average A-Rank to even come close to a Guardian" Shikamaru countered. He shook his head as the mission seemed to take a turn. For now they had to continue the search, but he was going to stack the deck.

"We need to send a message to Konoha; they need to know what we know ASAP." Asuma turned to him, silently querying.

"Right now Akatsuki are on the blacklist, everything no matter how small or thin gets reported. The fact that someone could make it this far into Fire Country, kill off the entire temple monks, take down a former Guardian and go to ground again…"

Asuma pursed his lips and nodded slowly.

"I agree."

Shikamaru wasted little time writing a brief report and request for support. With that done they turned to Asuma again in time to see him go through several handseals.

 _Kuchiyose no Jutsu:_

Chakra flared and smoke filled the area, before clearing and revealing a lightly armoured monkey.

"The Lost Sarutobi" The summons sniffed with a hint of disdain; the looks passed briefly as he gave a small nod, "My condolences to your loss."

Asuma merely nodded before directing attention to Shikamaru. The monkey's gaze narrowed with irritation at the Jonin, before scoffing again, then turning to the Nara.

Shikamaru filed the interaction to ponder over later, "We have a secure message to Hokage-Sama; it is imperative she alone gets this." He carefully handed the scroll over.

"Tsunade-Hime? A rare jewel is she" the monkey murmured as he took the scroll. "Worry not younglings; this message will get to her." He nodded towards them, before casting a look at Asuma. "We have stood side by side, our families; and yet now we are as strangers to each other. Worry not, there is another with whom we have placed our hope; you are of little concern to us anymore."

The monkey paused. He looked over the Jonin, as if for the last time and his words were solemn.

"Live well Asuma"

With a burst of chakra the summons was gone.

Something seemed to flash over Asuma's face, but it was gone as quickly as it arrived.

"Come on, we've lingered long enough." He said finally. His team nodded and focused. Chakras flared and they were off into the trees.

* * *

Jiraiya was a very unhappy Sannin.

Scratch that, Jiraiya was a miserable and angry Sannin.

 _Another location; another dead end…._

The Frog Sannin shook his head as he looked over his reports; what was left of his information network was a joke; a pale imitation of what he had managed to establish. Years of effort and work, completely lost, thanks to Akatsuki.

"Well played" he murmured as he rubbed his tired eyes.

Still, not everything was a complete loss. Fortune still smiled on the Sannin, and one of his contacts managed to save some actionable intelligence. At least one of the Akatsuki agents had been revealed, with a full list of abilities and a location.

The details filled Jiraiya's heart with dread.

The location, Amegakure (Hidden Rain); the Akatsuki agent, codenamed 'Tenshi' (Angel); abilities, _paper manipulation._

Jiraiya didn't want to believe…didn't want to hope or dread.

"Amegakure it is then." He sighed. He rose silently to his feet and step out back; towards a small pond. On the waters a small toad could just be made out, croaking contentedly into the air.

"Are you ready Jiraiya-Sama?" it croaked as the Sannin approached.

"Yes"

"Hnn, very well then." Jiraiya nodded again and slowly lowered himself towards the toad. The amphibian croaked and opened its mouth wide; in a few short seconds Jiraiya was gone, deep within the toad.

"We will cross the borders of Amegakure in a few moments. Those lands are treacherous, Jiraiya-Sama. I hope you know what you are doing." The toad croaked sombrely.

Chakra pulsed; the waters rippled lightly and the reflection shifted. A dark corridor seemed to form in the waters, a pale light showing the other end. The toad focused as features could barely be made out; suddenly he jerked, as landmarks came into view.

The toad sank into the waters. Once completely submerged the ripples stopped and the images changed, reflecting the midday sun.

The quiet faded; the song of birds once more.

* * *

 _We have made our decision. You have proven your mettle; you are worthy of our trust and our aid._

 _You now have a right, to call yourself kin; Uzumaki Naruto, welcome to the Clan of the Lagomorpha….welcome to Clan Mymeara._

"Welcome" Naruto murmured to himself, as he faced the mirror. His body was bare, a piece cloth from the waist down the only thing protecting his modesty. As he looked on several other mirrors were strategically placed, allowing almost total view from any direction; he had only to shift his gaze and he could see every part of his body.

As he looked on three lagomorphs orbited him. In their paws were clay containers, filled with a mix of oils, pigments and chakra. With precision each raised their brush and hovered over his skin. Chakra surged and the tips glowed; the lagomorphs eyes glowed in turn and a faint hum sounded.

The youngest priestess started first. The moment her brush made contact Naruto resisted the urge to flinch; despite the warmth from the contact, Naruto felt a chill seep into him, a cold he couldn't free himself from, and his hairs stood on end.

Her eyes continued to glow, almost unseeing and her brush strokes continued in wide, long flowing motions; the ideas conveyed broad and far reaching, encompassing many things, but with little subtlety or experience, just the verve and drive of youth.

As she slowly worked to his front the second lagomorph began. Again Naruto remained still, but the feeling of chill was much worse. A faint stirring echoed deep within him, but then subsided.

Whereas the firsts were wild and free, this one felt restrained, its motions crisp and sharp, focused on detail and function over form. The scripts were smaller but conveyed individual ideas and merits, cleaner and clearer.

As both scripts grew over him Naruto looked on as the ink and pigments seemed to come alive, shaping not only words but faint images as well. The colours seemed to spread like roots and as each marking formed it shifted with new meaning.

Suddenly both lagomorphs stopped, and it felt as if chakra itself was holding its breath. The younger looked puzzled as she took in his form again while the second older one looked deeper with experienced eyes.

"Interesting, young one" she murmured softly as she poked lightly on his skin. It rippled like water and suddenly all the seals he had written into his body came out unbidden. The younger one hummed in surprise as they appraised the work.

"Very impressive skill, for one so young" came the murmur again as several seals were traced, "You have talent, I wonder how far you can go?"

"His has proven himself, in combat and in craft" an elderly voice wheezed into life. The other two lagomorphs pulled back and turned to face their elder, one of the matriarchs that formed part of the ceremony. She slowly hobbled her way forwards and despite the stoop her gaze held Naruto's like a vice; her stare deep and penetrating and the orbs filled with a sharp and shrewd intellect.

"He is worthy of us; the first in a very long time." She continued after a moment passed, she shifted slightly and her brush came up, "Let us continue." As the others turned back to their work she faced Naruto again.

"Be brave, young shinobi. Be strong, it is almost done." Naruto didn't have time to ask what she meant, when her brush stroked over his skin.

Immediately it felt like a fire had been snuffed out of him; his body locked up and chakra surged dangerously from the three priestesses whilst fading from him entirely.

* * *

The Keeper smoked contentedly, outside the workshop and away from the priestess works. Milling around were Amon, Koga and Ranek.

Koga's sword sang through the air as once more his obsession on form took root, practicing and practicing moves that were already built into his memory.

The Keeper sighed softly at the sight.

Heritage was of deep importance to Koga, that along with nobility and station. That was why he often clashed with Amon of the 'Wild Plains'; the other lagomorph was everything he found disconcerting and to date none from the plains had gone beyond the ranks of vanguard in years. Amon was the first to achieve Archon since they began recording.

Koga was feeling threatened, something that also amused the Keeper greatly.

Amon meanwhile seemed content to sway with the wind, seeing the world from behind a veil of deep introspection. Looking him over it was difficult to see why Koga felt as he did, until one delved deeper into their history;

Koga was a veritable genius, exceptionally gifted in everything he touched. His pedigree was long and lustrous and he possessed the skill and power to back up his arrogance. He reset all the records in training and became the youngest Archon in history; still even that took 'shedding his old coats' thirty-nine times before he was appointed Archon. No Archon had ever been appointed below fifty sheds; some even considered if they had been hasty and could have waited for his fortieth shed. His growth however couldn't be denied and his appointment was honoured.

Amon was not as bright, nor as gifted. His scores never came close to Koga; still he maintained a steady average in the top tier, never quite leaving the bracket behind. Everyone had expected another vanguard veteran and to observers he would have been a welcome addition to their elite ranks.

And then Amon went through his fifth 'shed'. Everything changed.

The young warrior had to be taken to the mountain clans; only their Mistweavers could save his life. Following that the temple guardians had him sequestered and tested vigorously.

Two years later he was brought back and at the age of twenty, the title of Archon was bestowed to him. In that time his eyes had changed colours to the two distinct notes; one the brightest blue, the other the clearest green.

Amon's sudden ascension caused such a stir it threatened to derail the clans. It had taken all the Circle could muster to maintain order, more than once the Vanguards of the Wild Plains threatened to forsake their oaths.

In the end the senior Archons convened; Ranek was selected. His verdict would determine Amon's fate. The two lagomorphs disappeared, deep into wilds and the edges of the mountains.

Seasons passed, from winter to winter. On the third winter they returned unbidden. Amon was now twenty-four and had undergone a further two 'sheds' and Ranek had returned missing an eye. Neither spoke of their time away; Ranek returned to the Circle and the assembly of Archons.

 _Amon of the Wild Plains is Archon to Mymeara._

 _Let the record show; Ranek of Deep-Ground will brook no further contest borne against a brother unjust._

The assembly fell silent. Ranek was one of the senior Archons and held no small amount of weight. That he backed Amon so firmly sent ripples through the Clans, but in the end none would go against him.

So the Archons gave their support; all except Koga.

But for all that Koga was better than Amon; in form, technical work and skill; Koga could not defeat Amon. Whenever they clashed, always it came to a draw.

The Keeper felt a firm grip on his shoulder. He looked sideways to Ranek, the black coarse furred lagomorph looking intently at his fellows, each one so different, yet bound the same responsibilities.

"They are both strong; there is power within them that has not been felt in a long time Keeper" Ranek's low tones rumbled. The Keeper nodded as he looked back at the young two.

"Indeed Ranek" he intoned, "Indeed. Our future is safe for the moment. The new generation may yet not make the mistakes of the old. And once again we open ourselves to the outside world."

Ranek nodded.

"I am old…, Ranek. I am old-"

"You are still our Keeper" Ranek growled out, his fur bristling, "You have taught generations of Mymeara. You have seen more seasons and moons than any other. Even now few have matched the strength, courage and wisdom found in you."

"One day soon, that strength will fail Ranek" The Keeper said gently. His paw reached out, over Ranek's. The Archon held on with a tight grip; he ignored it and continued.

"Strength wanes, Courage falters, and even Wisdom fades Ranek. Someday soon, I may not be able to carry these burdens."

"The Circle worries" Ranek growled quietly but the Keeper stressed on "-as they should; the role of Keeper was always ceremony, there are some who say the office should be abolished-"

"They know nothing!" Ranek snapped out as he held the Keeper in a tight grip. "They do not know the value of duty and honour, loyalty and sacrifice. Years of plenty have made some fat and lazy, speaking words without thought."

"And yet all have a right to speak, how we feel should never be taken for granted, and to suppress another's view simply because it is not ours; that does not make us better." The Keeper said as he shook his head.

Ranek turned to him again, his lips in snarl but his words held frustration, pain and despair.

"I have fought for our right to exist, fought for our clans to have hope and yes, fought for all to speak. But speaker, what good is it if everyone speaks and yet wounds are all that are left? To speak is to become responsible; but lately with so many voices clamouring on their rights, it is hard to find the malice in the shadows, those who simply speak of their own spite and those who seek their own ends."

The speaker looked on silent, choosing to abstain. Ranek growled again in frustration and his paws clenched tight until they bled.

"Nothing is set in stone Ranek, for the time being I will stand, as I always have and keep the heart of our people."

Ranek nodded; his paw found his chest with a firm thud as he dropped a knee.

"As I swore to you moons before, I will stand at your side. No force in the great boroughs or the wondering mists will break our bond. Even in the depths of the embrace I will seek you out and tear apart any who would stand in my way."

The Keeper looked on with fond amusement. His paw reached out and clasped Ranek's shoulder; the Archon grasped it in a firm grip, their loyalty unwavering.

"My grandfather will not have you has his sole defender. That you usurped my rightful place is bad enough, honour and duty will not allow me to stand aside." Both Mymearans turned to Koga. Ever the cultured one, his gaze though was a storm of devotion and warrior pride. A brown paw descended on Koga shoulders; the white furred Archon glanced sideways, but made no move to remove it.

"We will stand with you Keeper." Amon's voice held a subtle echo, he was still lost in the throes of chakra, but each syllable hit with binding force. "We will help you bear this burden; so long as it is yours to bear."

Koga nodded and turned to his grandfather and Ranek. Ranek looked his former pupils and nodded in approval.

The Keeper sighed, but a soft smile graced his lips.

Amon blinked suddenly; the mood was lost. His fur bristled and he turned to the workshop. The others saw his reaction and followed suit, tense.

Moments later a wave of chakra rushed through them all.

* * *

"Matriarch..." the youngest priestess mumbled as she feverishly worked; whilst the overwhelming chakra seemed to have faded it was merely the calm before the storm.

No, it was the pause between storms, where one had no choice but to hang tight and ride out the tide.

"Do not stop" The Matriarch urged soothingly, even as she struggled against the oppressive chakra.

 _And to think his strength alone contains such force of will behind it. If the Nine-tails awakens I fear to think…._

The Matriarch looked on with apprehension as the pressure continued to build. Fuinjutsu was a delicate thing; as powerful as it could be there was a reason many shied away from it.

The consequences of badly made seals or an error in writing the seal could have a varied array of consequences; the spectrum was broad and it was often a dice game to determine what ills could befall practitioners.

At best, minor aches and pains for the rest of one's natural life, either when using the seal or even trying to channel chakra.

At worst…..death was the least of these.

The three priestess carried on diligently, if frantic. No mistake could be afforded but they didn't have the luxury of dawdling either, not with the amount of chakra growing in the air, soon it would attract more scrutiny than it was worth.

The Matriarch tensed as the chakra tinted wild on the edge of her sense; a flash of violent red in a sea of blue. A sensation brushed against her chakra, a formidable mind behind the energy, grasping, trying to understand her intentions, and mocking, whether it would allow them to continue or not.

"Matriarch…" the youngest whimpered as she tried very hard to remain focused. Even the matron was showing visible signs of distress so for the young maiden it was probably excruciating.

The Matriarch pulsed her chakra, feeding her intent through her very being.

 ** _…_** ** _..You believe he is worthy?_**

 ** _You are either blind, or a fool._**

 ** _His kind can never be worthy._**

The force pulled away and much of the pressure subsided. The Matriarch sent a feeling of gratitude but received nothing in return. Her companions breathed with no little sign of relief as they carried on the last stages of their work.

Once all three were done they stepped backwards; the air excited with energy from the seal writing. As one their paws came together.

 _Fuinjutsu: Activate!_

Naruto's body jerked and he gave a soundless scream. Chakra burst free from him in a near endless wave. Glass shattered and wood cracked. Metal groaned and twisted from the pressure. A ghost of a roar travelled for miles around.

As quickly as the chakra came it dissipated, leaving behind a void. All three priestess appeared serene, but on closer inspection they shook like leaves. The Matriarch sagged slightly, only to be caught in a firm and gentle embrace.

* * *

Tsunade bit her lip with frustration.

A pair of dice sat innocently before her; their numbers spelt gloom.

Six straight tosses, six straight wins.

Her eye twitched. She glanced worriedly at the report from Team Asuma. The Nara boy's intuition couldn't be easily dismissed, and if Akatsuki was their target or opponent, then they needed to stack the deck.

Also, she hadn't heard from Kakashi in sometime. The ANBU Commander could no longer pick up his trail. And finally Jiraiya too had gone of radar.

All in all she had many things to worry about; too many variables outside her control.

She picked up the dice and rolled again.

They clattered innocently over the table, slowly coming to a stop….

 _Please, let my luck run out._

Tsunade's eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat; a wave of chakra surged through the village, sending sensors into a frenzy, ninjas into alert, and civilians into shock.

She stood abruptly and glanced out the window.

"Naruto."

* * *

 _ **A.N. Another one down, this one is a bit all over the place but it was a long time coming.**_

 _ **Also welcome to the club; Im-Bored-And-Gay, Mr Ursine, Kyok, armydancer01.**_

 _ **and to regular reviewers; s.k.f.f.f, Jojo, Seta88 and others - you guys are the best.**_

 ** _I'll start answering from the next post, until then, stay awesome._**


	25. Sasuke - The Meaning Of Loyalty

**_This story is not dead - sorry for the long wait._**

 ** _Got more on my plate at the moment so social and writing life suffered a bit - i've got things almost sorted, but to soon to tell._**

 ** _I will finish this story, invested so much time into it and i'd hate to disappoint you guys._**

 ** _Enjoy._**

* * *

 _…_ _..It is time._

Sasuke observed Leo as he ushered his sister into his private rooms. The girl had an inclination of events to come, and despite her fears she remained silent and compliant, her only outburst was in worry of her brother's welfare.

"Time is moving against us" He ignored her flinch and focused on Leon. His attendant nodded and gave her one last hug while whispering gently to get her to relax.

Sasuke cared very little for the sentimentality of it; he was eager to begin.

His face twitched and his brow furrowed; that awful ache was back with vengeance and the smell of wet rot was intolerable; a repugnant mix of dead bamboo and stale medical waste.

It made him want to kill something, anything.

"Sasuke-Sama…" Leon's voice broke through the red mist and he came back to himself.

Sasuke took a deep breath and let go his restraints. The first level of his cursed seal spread like wild fire, roaring through his veins like the adore of a lover. A wide smile grew on his face, distorting it in a fit of madness.

Leon nodded and built his chakra much more slowly. Sasuke drew his blade and held it towards his attendant; the Nin reached for it and ran a hand over the edge. His arms took a silvery sheen and his fingers sharpened to talons. A subtle wind blew around him followed by a steady hum.

Sasuke's blade sparked with lightning, producing a much louder hum.

"Now" Sasuke drew out, his euphoria overtaking his ache, "Time to bid farewell to my teacher and thank him for his contributions."

* * *

Kabuto felt it before he heard it.

That indescribable feeling, that something was inevitable. The certainty that lives would be lost.

He glanced over his arm, and noted the exposed hairs standing on end.

 ** _Sasuke…._**

Yes, that was the only thing that made sense, something that was bound to happen, regardless of what Orochimaru-Sama had planned or understood.

Perhaps…it was time…..

 ** _Not yet….._**

Kabuto sat at his terminal, his head bowed and body unmoving. Only he and the senior researchers were present in the room. Orochimaru was in his private chambers, resting.

While not completely defenceless, the Sannin wasn't in the best of conditions.

"Seal the room." His voice rang out, almost alien to his ears. Conversation around him ceased.

"Kabuto-Sama?" One of the researchers ventured lightly as the others looked on confused.

"Seal the room, now." Kabuto glanced backwards; his gaze firm and brooked no contents. The researchers tensed with fear, one of them gulped and nodded rapidly, before moving to a terminal and locking down the controls.

"The room is secured Kabuto-Sama" he called after the last locks fell into place. They all turned back to him, but Kabuto focused on the security feeds.

"I want a log of all research data on Orochimaru-Sama and Uchiha Sasuke. I want test results on all viable tissue samples collected. I want the latest analysis results on Jugo. No one is to leave this room; if you do you will die."

The researchers looked at each other wary and confused before facing kabuto. Seconds later the alarms in the base went of sending a wave of alarm and fear. A cacophony of noise burst from them as they tried to identify the cause and what they could do.

"Sasuke-Sama has gone mad." one of them breathed out as she looked at the security feeds, just in time to see the Uchiha cut through an Oto Nin.

"No, it cannot be possible" Another cried out, even as the evidence was clear to them. More and more feeds showed the Uchiha sweep through their ranks, Oto personnel falling quickly with no end to his rampage.

"What do we do Kabuto-Sama?! What can we do?!"

All eyes turned to the white haired Nin. Kabuto sat in slight slouch, reclining the chair as far as it could go. The air around him was far too calm, almost nonchalant, to the point of uncaring. His lab assistants shuffled, uneasy at the turn of events.

Kabuto paid zero attention to their unease; unawares his finger drummed a steady tic on the arm rest.

"….You can get started on what I asked you."

* * *

Sasuke was in rapture as he tore through the base. Everywhere he stepped, death followed. With his Sharingan everything was laid clearly before him. With his blade he cut through them with contemptuous ease.

These were not yet the targets he sought, but they were ideal for sowing terror.

His glee grew as he cut through yet another _comrade._

Shadows flashed on the edge of his vision. His blade came up, locked against a kunai and halting his opponents advance.

"You have strength behind you" Sasuke mused, even as his opponent noted he couldn't push the Uchiha back. The Oto Nin growled in anger and lashed out with his free hand, another kunai gleaming for his eyes.

Sasuke chuckled and ducked below the swipe. He let go of his sword and had both palms on the figures stomach.

 _Lighting Release; Black Pain._

Lighting chakra surged between his fingers and spread from his palm and over opponent. The Nin seized up and he screamed out as the chakra surged through him. Sasuke smiled as the cries grew louder every passing second.

Leon looked up quickly from his position as he dispatched another Oto Nin. So far they had encountered the stragglers, it won't be long until the real trouble started; and if Kabuto deigned to show himself then it only made their situation harder.

But from the look on Sasuke's face the Uchiha was beyond caring at this point. Whenever he got like this it was often best to let him be, work through the excess instability and aggression, he was more approachable afterwards.

Leon's face jerked as a lucky blow struck him. The skin flashed silver for a brief moment, deflecting the worst of the blow.

"Forgive me" he called in a low voice, just as he struck back. "It's one of the little vanities I allow myself to indulge in; my mother always valued my looks, and my sister couldn't bear to see it scarred" he told the gurgling Nin as he pulled his arm free from his chest.

He turned to the other Nins approaching and prepared again for combat; the skin of his shoulders and chest cracked, revealing a craggy and rocklike texture.

"So please understand if I deal with you very quickly."

* * *

"Betrayer!" A cursed Oto Nin screamed out as his cursed seal overtook him; his skin darkened to level two and his fingers fused together to form elongated talons. His face distended and oversized fangs grew outward. The crazed Nin lunged recklessly at Sasuke, driven into frenzy.

In a spark of lightning Sasuke appeared, breaking his momentum. The Uchiha's sword hummed as it spun around; with a flick the blade pierced upwards, through the lower jaw and all the way out the top of his head. The force of the strike carried the sword and the cursed Nin upwards, pinning him to the ceiling.

"You cannot betray something that did not have your loyalties in the first place" Sasuke intoned before dismissing the dead body.

Another cursed Nin tried to stab him from the back. The attack passed through an afterimage; Sasuke struck back with a lightning enhanced palm strike to the face, frying all higher brain function in one instant.

 _Chidori Senbon_

He spun round to the oncoming Nins with his hand charged with lightening chakra. He gave a broad sweep and needle like lightning shards erupted forcing all but one to scatter. Sasuke narrowed his gaze as he picked up a subtle flutter of nature manipulation from the still charging Nin.

"Wind User, how unexpected" He called out as he tilted his head slightly to the left, just as a sharp blade of wind made to sweep past.

He stiffened as he saw the chakra shift and the air pressure change suddenly; he snarled as his Sharingan broke down the jutsu formula from the Nin's handseals. He swore an oath as the effect took shape, and promised bloody murder to the Nin.

The wind blade hummed violently and suddenly expanded outwards, losing much of its speed for greater coverage.

Sasuke reappeared in a burst of static. Within seconds he crossed the distance and his sword sang out unerringly for the wind user's neck. His opponent hastily brought an arm up; the muscles rippled and pulled, the arm shivered and shifted with the cursed seal, forming an armoured carapace.

The transformation held the sword at bay for only a second.

Sasuke immediately dismissed the now kneeling Nin from his mind. With a flick the Nin's body fell headless, joining his comrades littered about them. He turned his attention to the other three that were gearing up to face him; from what his Sharingan could decipher they were much stronger and more capable than any he had faced so far.

"Hmm, I suppose I could indulge you for some time." Sasuke flicked the blood of his sword and his chakra rose. He looked on with mild approval as his opponents tensed. His appreciation grew as they too activated cursed seals, though surprisingly they shifted only to the first level like he was; what was more impressive was the fact that their chakra grew considerably, making them just the challenge he sought.

"I do not think I have encountered you before" He murmured as he slowly stalked around them. As he moved they shifted accordingly, trying as best to keep him in the middle. "You are not like the rest of the trash in this place. Tell me, which hole did the snake pull you out from?" He called out imperiously.

Shurikens were his answer.

Sasuke barely had to move to deflect them meanwhile waiting for the real attack. One of the figures ghosted through the assault and immediately went on the offensive. Kunais appeared in each hand and the Nin launched into a flurry of attacks.

Sasuke parried and countered each move as they began. His chakra surged suddenly and he was behind the Nin stunning him completely; he reversed his grip on his sword and thrust backwards.

 _Katon: Goukakyou No Jutsu_

Sasuke swore again as he was forced to abort his attack. He looked on incredulous at the apparent insanity of launching a large scale fire jutsu in a fairly enclosed area. Already the temperature had risen exponentially and if he hadn't been an Uchiha and bred for fire jutsus it would have been extremely uncomfortable.

His hands lit up with chakra, slowly shifting into flames. Chakra surged and he took a single step forwards and gave a reinforced clap. Immediately the fireball choked and burnt itself out instantly.

Sasuke frowned as he was assaulted, this time by two of the Nins. Again his blade came up in parry. The kunai user was all over the place, making wild sweeps and jabs. The real problem was the other Nin; he was wielding a Kusarigama and had the mid-range covered well. His attacks came from the blind spots his companion was creating, and the strategy was fairly effective much to Sasuke's chagrin.

But what stood out most, was the third Oto Nin. Other than the fireball he had yet to make a single move or take any real action. If anything he seemed to be observing him intently, taking in every action, every motion. His eyes were hidden, but Sasuke could practically feel their gaze on him at all times.

He deflected the Kusarigama and reached out for the chain with his left hand; lighting chakra sang as he grabbed hold of the metal conductor, sending volts of electric energy coursing through the Nin.

In a flash he was behind the Nin and had the chain wrapped firmly around his neck. He spun both of them around as he felt the air displace beside him. His hostage gurgled as he was stabbed straight through from the back; the blade carried on and hit the kunai wielder, though non-fatal.

The Oto Nin flinched and tried to back away. Sasuke scented blood in the water and pounced; he flung the dead body away and made to close the gap. Suddenly the wounded Oto Nin reversed direction and crashed awkwardly into the Uchiha. Sasuke froze at the unexpected change; his opponent took advantage and locked his arms around him with a vice grip.

A loud shrieking caught Sasuke's attention and he looked on with undisguised amazement as a familiar jutsu came to life on the third Oto Nin's hands, the one who had been mostly inactive.

"Sasuke!" Leon called out as he rushed to intercept. The Oto Nin charged for the immobile Uchiha; his free hand shot out towards Leon, unleashing several snakes and forcing him to break his intended assault.

Sasuke however shifted from surprised to neutral. Moments before the jutsu could strike; a foot appeared and struck the Oto Nin full force. The blow sent the Nin hurtling backwards and the Chidori fizzled out.

Meanwhile Sasuke shrugged and his lightning chakra flexed, shocking his would be captor. The air parted twice from behind the Oto Nin; split second later his arms detached and fell uselessly to the floor. The Nin stepped away in shock; he opened his mouth to scream.

"None of that." Sasuke commented idly as he caved the Nin's chest in. A wet gasp was his rewards and a brief splatter of blood and saliva on his sleeve. The body wheezed as it fell, the mind unable to resolve its fate. A few feet away stood Kage Bunshin of Sasuke, wiping the blood of his blade; the clone held the weapon out to the original and dispersed as the blade was sheathed.

"Leon, what do you make of this?" Sasuke asked his attendant as the both observed the Oto Nin rise to his feet. The Nin was still fairly obscured, though his hood was ripped and tattered from scraping across the floor.

"That he can use your Chidori is a surprise. That jutsu is very difficult to master; had you not been….held down, it would have been just as easy to miss the target. It was a reckless move." Leon reasoned as their opponent took stock. The white haired Nin turned to Sasuke and gave him a quick once over.

"Are you calmer now?" Sasuke gave a sidelong glance at the statement, "for a moment back there I was…concerned. You seemed out of control."

Sasuke hummed slightly as he stepped forward, but offered no further words. He drew his blade just as their opponent pulled back his tattered hood, allowing his black limp hair to come free.

And then he looked up, a rictus grin on his face. Leon tensed and took in a sharp breath; the Oto Nin's grin grew even more macabre.

Sasuke however was locked in fury. His chakra bubbled and his cursed seal seemed to suck in the ambient light. His chakra shifted, from a lighting tinge to an inferno.

"It seems I misjudged the snake. It's funny; Naruto once told me he called the snake 'patchwork' and 'flesh-weaver'. I didn't appreciate it then" Sasuke's voice dripped with acid, as he faced an almost identical image of himself, "I do now. You are an abomination."

The false Sasuke gurgled; the sound was so alien Leon leaned backwards, clearly disturbed. It hunched over and flexed its chakra, letting the energy grow wild and free.

Sasuke narrowed his gaze; whatever it was, it was clearly unstable, probably incomplete. Already its body was beginning to fall apart, the chakra though was substantial.

Even more distressing however, was the 'Sharingan' the abomination bore; it was _wrong;_ three tomoe (swirls) in the left eye, and _five_ in the right! They were also different sizes and some faced backwards. Even the eyeballs themselves looked distorted. Despite these however the Sharingan appeared to function on some level, almost as well as his.

Sasuke's chakra surged once more; he couldn't let the abomination live, its very presence was an insult to the Uchiha Clan.

The abomination screeched and launched itself at Sasuke; it drew a blade as it moved and came with an overhead blow. Sasuke stepped into the strike and countered. Both swords rang out. Each wielder pulled back slightly and seemed to flinch.

To Leon, they all but disappeared; the ringing of steel filled his ears as he desperately tried to follow their blows. The clone fought with all of Sasuke's skill but none of his usual grace or verve. The constant flux of chakra coloured the atmosphere, causing him to grit his teeth.

A dark chuckle came from behind him, sending chills down his spine. He made to turn, but his legs got taken out from under him. Instinctively he rolled; Leon tried to scramble to his feet but a sharp pain halted him in his tracks.

He roared out and glanced at the blade pinning his leg to the floor. The abomination chittered with eyes full of malice. It made to pulled the blade and rip into the leg, but Leon grabbed firm hold, locking them in place.

 _Uchiha Hijutsu; Enkai_

The temperature rose significantly, catching both Leon and the abomination of guard. Sharply a veil seemed to fall over both their eyes. Leon recognised it as Genjustsu and made to dispel it, only to find another layer.

 _'_ _If you wish to stay alive and at my side, remain as you are. Undo my barrier at your own folly'_

The words seemed to echo from around him; Leon gritted his teeth from the pain and nodded, keeping a firm hold of the blade still in his leg and ignoring the cuts to his hand.

The Abomination however spun its Sharingan and tore through the illusions quickly. Its eyes widened at the sight before it.

Sasuke's chakra burned like fire; the air wavered around him with heat and built up to a crown of flame above his head. The crown seemed to pulse, much like a heartbeat.

"An abomination like you has no business bearing the pride of the Uchiha." Sasuke, slowly raised his left hand; flames danced around his fingers, picking up speed as the limb stretched out with the palm upwards. At the same time the crown spun on its axis and a slit of flame grew from the middle.

 _Begone!_

The flames traced from his fingers through the air and up to the crown. They converged around it and into the slit in the middle. The fires grew and suddenly the slit opened, revealing a burning eye bearing the mark of the Sharingan.

The eye swivelled and dilated, before focusing on the abomination. The Sharingan spun deceptively; the abomination stood frozen and its Sharingan tried to match but failed.

The flame eye narrowed its gaze and chakra surged; the abomination gave a scream.

 _Setsuna's Gaze_

* * *

Legend speaks of an old one, solemn and wise. A simple hermit, yet many would seek him out. His voice was soft, but his mind was sharp.

The story tells that his gaze could set the world alight. Those who could meet it, felt a flame grow within them, spurring them to great deeds. Others with wickedness at heart felt scorched by it, their ambitions withered in a blaze and bereft of all feeling, an empty husk.

The lord of the lands soon heard of this, and he sought the man for his court. Many messengers were sent, each with more extravagant gifts than the last.

Each one returned empty, a shell of their former selves. The lord grew ever more amazed at such power, and ever more fearful; should his enemies find a way of acquiring the old one, then all he had would be lost to him.

And so, in the dead of night, his elite guard stole the hermit away. The old one was brought before the lord, and in his greed, the lord tore out the old ones eyes.

However, without the wisdom and temperance of the old one, the power proved to be too great. The eye brought great strife to the lord of the lands; a great blaze engulfed his home and a scorching of all that he ruled.

Now left as a wanderer and vagrant, the former lord wept bitterly, until his death. He learned only too late; the hermit stayed away, to keep the power of the eye from enflaming the hearts of men, and only by sheer will could its fury be contained.

 _Setsuna…._ the eye was called, the name literally meaning an instant, or a moment.

From the moment he stole the burning eye, all that was his was forfeit.

In the wreckage of that forgotten land, no one could find the eye that he stole, or the body of the hermit. Some say he was consumed in the flames, others say he was borne away and buried in the mountains. As for Setsuna, none could say where it had fallen, many still sought it power; the power to enflame a man's heart, or to utterly consume his being.

* * *

Sasuke looked on dispassionately at the mewling burnt body in front of him. Just above his head the flame eye blazed with malevolence and he could feel it tug on his chakra and iron clad control. He spun his Sharingan and slowly the flames died off, the crown dissipated and the eye sealed away.

Just to the side, Leon struggled to pull the blade free from his leg, whilst keeping his eyes firmly shut. Sasuke moved closer to his attendant and clasped his hand around the hilt; he ignored Leon's gasp as the blade came free and flicked the weapon to the side.

"You can open your eyes now Leon" Sasuke said without much inflection. He turned back towards the abomination, its movements had slowed and its breathing was raspy.

Sasuke drew his blade once again, the edge glowed with heat and the air around it sizzled.

"A stunted imitation like you has no right to exist in this world." One quick swipe and it was done; the abomination ceased all movement.

Sasuke ignored Leon as he rose to his feet; his temper had simmered, but was by no means gone. He gave the snake latitude in his tests and experiments; after all, all power came at a price.

What a fool he had been, to allow his bloodline to be harvested like wheat. To allow a madman play with the essence of what it meant to be an Uchiha.

By blood and fire; he would purge the Sannin's existence.

"Can you still fight Leon?" Sasuke queried without looking back.

"My leg should hold out for now Sasuke-Sama" Leon replied as he tested his weight, wincing periodically, "However I will be of no use against Orochimaru-Sama or Kabuto-Sama, should he eventually arrive."

Sasuke cocked his head and pondered.

"By the time he returns, the snake will already be dead. You should be able to hold back anyone else that tries to interrupt. Release as many of the rejects as you dare; sow havoc in what is left of this place."

Sasuke slowly moved forwards, his goal firmly in grasp.

* * *

"Just as I thought. The Sharingan and even the Uchiha body are too complex" Kabuto slouched into his chair as he continued to observe the footage. On the screen to his left medical data on the Sasuke and the 'clone' processed freely.

"Despite the obvious change to the Sharingan, it appeared to be functional Kabuto-Sama" one of the researchers spoke up from another screen.

"We have been working to account for the genetic degradation. The data shows some promising prospects." Another chimed in from a second station.

"We have only managed to confirm the ability to see chakra and the copy function are relatively intact" Kabuto retorted. His fingers danced across the keyboard, "The problem is constant mutation; so far none of the Sharingan we have developed has been stable and our latest _success_ has been reduced to cinders. And that is if you discount the fact that it's the only one to have actually worked for more than a few weeks."

He was met with silence.

Kabuto glanced again at the data; part in amusement and part contempt. As fascinating as the Sharingan was the level of avarice Orochimaru displayed for the doujutsu, often at the expense of other avenues of research, frustrated the Med Nin.

He had picked up the slack on several of those projects, but without Orochimaru's true genius there was more errors than he would have liked, the successes had been far and few between and his resentment only grew.

A lesser person would have accused him of Jealousy. But to Kabuto his contempt was only from the wasted potential in their work and the criminal naivety of the Uchiha, unwilling to see the nets that had been cast all around him.

Kabuto looked over another screen; one of the secure labs with containers filled with various stages of developing bodies.

Each tank bore the symbol of the Sharingan.

"Destroy the copies, keep the data."

* * *

The great doors opened to a room veiled in shadows. The torches on either end did very poor work of illuminating the room; however they provided a sense of atmosphere to the current circumstances.

The torches flickered with the sudden rush of air; the doors closed and the torches stabilised, content to burn away once more.

None of that mattered to the occupant, sat in the far end of the room. Feverish yellow eyes looked on with undisguised malice and raw hatred at the intruder.

The barely heard footfalls swept the length of the room, coming to a stop roughly six feet away from the Sannin. His fury grew to a blistering rage, as his usurper smiled mockingly, bent at the knee and gave a sweeping bow.

"Is there no end to your impudence? You, who was but nothing more than a footnote in the eyes of the world." Chakra simmered in the air, deadly and volatile.

"You" Orochimaru's eyes glinted in the darkness, "whose very existence was destined for ignominy. You forget so quickly where your power comes from. I! I am the one who remade you! I am the one you took you from that squalor! I am the one who have shaped you! Moulded You!"

 _I AM THE ONE WHO GIFTED YOU THIS POWER! AND YOU DARE TO CHALLLENGE ME!_

 _IN MY HOUSE!_

Dark chakra broke free of their restraints. All the torches went out. Killing intent permeated every crevice; rodents stopped, shivered and died, insects shrivelled as they were. All over Oto those who survived, felt the ghost of a blade bared across their throats.

In Orochimaru's chambers the feeling was much worse.

But then…a small chuckle sounded….and grew into quiet laughter.

"This amuses you?" the words came with a hiss that would have corroded steel and stone. Sasuke looked up at the Sannin; his Sharingan glinted with a fey light.

"Indeed _Orochimaru-Sama._ " He rose elegantly, deliberately. "You did seek me out. You did bring me here, and yes you had a part in honing my craft."

"Yes, as you have so rightly said, you indeed gave me a great gift; but that was all it ever was, a gift." The implications rang clear; Orochimaru had no hold on him. The Sannin narrowed his gaze.

"I do not suffer betrayal lightly child; do not overstate your value"

Sasuke smiled again "Betrayer; one who is absent of loyalty" he shook his head, "Answer me this, Ohh Snake Sannin, exile of Konoha, the village you abandoned and tried to destroy, and student of the late Sandaime, the man you wilfully murdered"

 _'_ _What is it that you, of all people, could possibly teach me of loyalty?'_

* * *

In a flash of motion Orochimaru was out of his seat; lightning chakra sparked, disrupting the Sannin and slowing him down. Sasuke had just enough time to deflect the first blow. The second came, hidden in the wake of the first, however his Sharingan picked up the trail with ease and his body hasted to follow.

The third blow however came much faster; even with his gift of foresight, Sasuke could barely evade the blow. The force clipped him and left him breathless. His body flung to the far end of the room. With sheer force of will he regained control and slammed feet first into the side wall, cratering it in the process.

"You think yourself special. You think to challenge me. I had fought and killed more dangerous foes at your age than you can possibly comprehend, _brat._ " Orochimaru hissed out as he tried to control his breathing, the exertion clear on face, "Clearly I have allowed your arrogance to grow unchecked; this a reflection on me, my flaw in not keeping you disciplined, in letting you run wild."

Sasuke jerked at the words and his chakra rang bitter.

"Watch your words snake; you are no father to me, and the man who was is far greater than you would ever be."

Orochimaru stepped away from his seat, gliding across the floor.

"After all that effort, it is truly a waste to kill you now, but I see I have no other recourse." Orochimaru stopped and his body language altered slightly. The hairs on Sasuke's neck stood out as the all-encompassing sense of danger filled the room.

"Make no mistake Sasuke-Kun, in time I will fully harvest the secrets of you accursed bloodline from your corpse." Orochimaru finished; the smile faded from his eyes and all that was left was death.

Sasuke faded in static and reappeared several feet away from the Sannin, his smirk wide on his face.

"Well now, I had hoped to see how far I had come. Afterall, what good will all this work be, if I cannot face the man it was all intended for?"

Lighting chakra screamed and Sasuke ploughed into action. Chidori Spears formed in each hand with a wrathful cry and Sasuke disappeared in high speed shushin.

Decades of combat experience and battle shifted Orochimaru's senses. Despite his fever he moved with every skill and grace known of the Sannin's. The first spear barely even scrapped him and the second was easily avoided. He retreated slightly and his chest bulged.

 _Futon: Gale Force Winds_

Sasuke's Sharingan spun rapidly. He threw one of the Chidori Spears and watched as it ate the distance in a blink. The Spear pierced clean through the Snake Sannin, forcing a gasping and disrupting the wind blast.

Sasuke frowned; the Sannin fell to the floor, only to fall apart as mud.

 _Wind Blades._

His eyes narrowed and he spun round, just in time to see Orochimaru, a hair's breath away and completed wind seal on his fingers. Before he could get away the Sannin's tongue shot out and held him in place. The air shifted rapidly; Sasuke swore out and flicked his wrist, the second Chidori jabbed through the Snake's abdomen and sent a surge of lighting chakra through him.

Then, the wind jutsu hit; Sasuke screamed as several sharpened blades of wind tore into him at close range. He gasped as he felt his left arm come free, and had enough time to see it fall before a sharp line cut through his vision.

Orochimaru too fared no better. The lighting chakra was running rampant within his body, his nerve endings were screaming from abuse and his muscles contracted and convulsed beyond their threshold. The lightning chakra boiled and fired his insides all at once.

Their controls suffered and the chakra's warped and flexed; the jutsus distorted and exploded in a thunderclap. Sasuke and Orochimaru were flung apart; Sasuke skidded along the floor, using his bleeding right hand to slow him down, his fingers peeled to the bone from his death grip. Orochimaru was barely managing to keep his feet as he was sent backwards. His ankle gave out and he tumbled over himself, before coming to a rest. He rose gingerly on one knee; he tried to stand, only for his muscles to lock up painfully and he fell flat on his face.

The Sannin hissed with malevolence; once he could he pushed his face up to see his Sasuke in similar straights.

"You had to go and ruin what I have worked so hard to keep safe" the Sannin's tone was part mocking and part pained. Sasuke blinked one eye; the other has a scar running over the closed lid. "See the price of your folly."

"Shut up, we both know better than that Snake"

Orochimaru chuckled again at the disrespect; chakras flared and both Sasuke and the Sannin bulged, the skin stretching and swelling. The mouths gaped wide and slowly they pulled free from the old and damaged 'skins'.

Orochimaru made it to his feet first, followed swiftly by Sasuke. The latter popped his neck and gave a satisfied sigh.

"That never gets old" He opened both his red Sharingan eyes and smiled. The smile grew wider as he took in the Sannin's chakra activity.

"Ohh, is that rejection I see" Orochimaru stiffened. He refused to leave Sasuke's gaze, but his hand twitched lightly. The Uchiha's smile was damming, "Still, it's impressive you have fought it off this long, but your body betrays you; fitting don't you think?"

Suddenly the lightning chakra died away; the air simmered, and heat began to rise.

 _Uchiha Hijutsu: Enkai_

Orochimaru narrowed his gaze as he felt his sweat literally evaporate of his skin. Already the heat was becoming more uncomfortable, plus it seemed young Sasuke was in no mood to extend their fight.

Still….

"You assume so much Sasuke. You think this power you have is yours to command as you will." Orochimaru shook his head; a white snake appeared over his shoulder, its hood flared and it hiss long and slow.

Sasuke cocked his head curious; his cursed seals pulsed, and his heart gave a wet thud.

He gasped for air and clasped his chest, as he felt his chakra run riot within him.

Orochimaru looked on smug.

"Alas, young fool; you flew to close to the sun, and now look at you," The white snake kept up its hiss and with each new sound Sasuke buckled under the onslaught. "How quickly you forget. This power that you revel in, that you hold and so greedily delved in; it is _mine!_ "

The snake hissed again and Sasuke groaned as he doubled over and fell to his face. One hand braced against the floor and he coughed up blood.

 _Your power belongs to me; your chakra belongs to me! The mark you bare is borne from me! A part of me runs deep within you Sasuke-Kun, did you really think I would not have a way of taking back what is rightfully mine?_

The words filtered through his ears as Sasuke desperately tried to focus. He felt his sides and shoulders contract, the skin bulged and two white snakes tore free, writhing and hissing in fury and pain.

Orochimaru stood a few feet in front of him, content to watch him squirm and struggle. His cursed seals writhed over his body and pulsed rapidly.

"All those tests, all those procedures and therapies. Everything was done to ensure your body could adapt to the Curse Seal. Everything was meant as a housing of my chakra. Now you understand don't you Sasuke-Kun? In the end the Cursed Seals are made from my very being, my chakra grows stronger each time you use it. And you adapted to it so quickly and easily."

"You were meant to by my vessel Sasuke, it is such a shame that I am forced to take back what is mine."

The white snakes on his shoulder glowed in tandem; as the pulses became weaker the snakes seemed to grow larger. They hissed as they struggled free and Sasuke knew that if they left his body he would have lost.

 _Heh Heh…._

* * *

Orochimaru narrowed his gaze; the heat spiked for a brief second and his white snake froze.

"So what if it was made from your power?" another pulse rang out, stronger than the last.

"It doesn't matter what you did to my body" another pulse; the muscles in Sasuke's neck bulged and the snakes in his shoulders hissed in pain.

"This power within me belongs to no other" Sasuke rose slowly to his feet; with each effort the heat rose again, until a circle of fire surrounded him. Orochimaru stepped back away from the flames, his every instinct warning him of an imminent threat.

"It is bound to my will" Sasuke looked up; his Sharingan shone with a blaze; the pinwheels in each eye seemed to blur and shift as raw power swelled with power, "and my will alone."

The Cursed Seal seemed to burn further into Sasuke's skin, drawing all light into its inky blackness. The markings travelled swiftly over the white snakes on his shoulder and choked them. Rapidly the lost size and strength while Sasuke's chakra continued to grow unrestrained.

 _How can this be possible? How can he have this much power?_

Sasuke took a step forwards, the flames parted and circled round his feet and arms.

"When you think about it, this is no different from Jinchuriki and its Biju, would you not agree?" Sasuke cocked his head with a smile, "Jinchuriki's can wield the very might of their Biju, but have the willpower to keep control; I am an Uchiha, you have no dominion over me."

Orochimaru took single step; Sasuke appeared beside him, flames trailing deceptively in the air.

 _Ryuujin Jakka._

Several wisps of flames wrapped around Orochimaru before he could act. Then the pain hit; his head flew back in a loud scream as the heat and flames burned right through him.

Sasuke stood a few paces behind Orochimaru, a flame roughly shaped as a sword held in his left hand. The moment he let go the fires dissipated and the temperature dropped. He felt the heat go out behind him and heard the body drop to the floor.

All was silent. He breathing slowly and his heart rate dropped; Sasuke relaxed a fraction-

Only to be sent flying sideways.

 _You are foolish to think you could kill me brat. I will never pass from this world; you however are not so fortunate._

Sasuke winced as he stood up; he had braced his side with chakra, just as the blow made contact. Still he was sure his ribs were cracked, possibly broken.

He looked before him; taking up a large part of the room was a myriad white snakes, impossible to count. All of them bore the same yellow eyes of the Snake Sannin. The moved in one mass; the 'head' of the conglomerate shifted and bore the face of the Sannin.

"Well, aren't you a sight" Sasuke couldn't help the remark, even as he braced his ribs.

Orochimaru chuckled.

"Defiant and foolish" the air tinged a light purple. "I will not allow you any more respite. Here is where the legacy of your forgotten clan dies, worthless and broken." Amid the poison cloud Orochimaru reared backwards and then lunged at Sasuke, many mouths and fangs poised to for the kill.

"You were right, all those years ago." Sasuke stated with an odd voice. "Back then in the Forest of Death."

 _The Sharingan is an emotional charged bloodline. Powerful emotions and the truth of one's mortality are often required to awaken it._

"There are many secrets hidden within these eyes; secrets I had yet to understand, secrets I had yet to know. But one thing never changed, through trial and error, through blood and sweat."

"You see, the Sharingan operates under very specific conditions, and within certain triggers, shaping and changing it, but ultimately unlocking the truth of its power."

A force suddenly slammed into Orochimaru, halting the large snakes progress, several of the smaller snakes withered and died in an instant, the others struggling desperately.

"Impossible!"

Orochimaru could only look on in fear; the slow deceptive spin of a Sharingan.

"You see, all you need to do, is find a way, _anyway_ , to open the door. That is the difficult part"

Sasuke took a step and the air felt thick and tangible, a ghostly prescience followed.

"But once the door is open; well it never closes."

He took another step; unbidden Orochimaru found himself at eye level with the mad Uchiha. All his snakes bent in submission.

"So now tell me, Ohh Snake Sannin" Sasuke placed his hands around one of the Sannin's eyes, and smiled.

 _What secrets of my fathers do you possess? And how can I attain them?_


	26. Kakashi - The Weight Of A Legacy

_**A.N. Another chapter in - hope you all enjoy**_

 _ **Onwards to Glory**_

* * *

Kakashi was an odd breed.

Son of an infamous Ninja; the White Fang had in him the potential to become the Hokage of Konoha, until his untimely fall from grace.

Kakashi himself was a gifted pupil of the arts, and managed to acquire the attentions of the Yondaime Hokage, the man who changed the Third Great Shinobi War. The Yondaime had been a student of the Great Toad Sage, Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin; Kakashi had grown to be quite familiar with the Sage.

Jiraiya was teammates with The Slug Princess Tsunade, daughter of the Senju, founders of Konoha, and Orochimaru, considered the greatest genius and ninja to come from Konoha at the time. All three were students of the Legendary Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi.

The pedigree continues; the Sandaime had been the student and chosen successor to the First and Second Hokages, Hashirama and Tobimura Senju.

There could be something said of lineage and pedigree. With such a resume and his own prodigious skill, if he truly exerted himself, Kakashi could take the reins as the Sixth Hokage of Konoha.

And make no mistake; Hatake Kakashi was powerful. More importantly he was formidable and dangerous, the two single greatest traits of any Shinobi.

Be it Ninjutsu, Genjutsu or Taijutsu he was exceptional. His skill with weapons was exemplary and he was more than adept at Sealing and forbidden arts.

Added to that was the patience and diligence of a deadly hunter.

The years had passed some but instincts never truly die, the hunter had been called upon once more, nothing will stop him.

* * *

The area was too silent, meaning that something was bound to happen.

Kakashi remained hidden in the tree line. Despite the limited coverage he was like a ghost; undetectable and almost invisible.

After days of chasing leads he finally struck gold. One of the leads he had been given lead him away from the village and deep within the mountains bordering Konoha. As luck would have it he stumbled on the several trails, very well hidden. Some were days old from what he could trace, but a set was fresh, only minutes ahead of him, twenty at the maximum.

From there tracking had been easy enough and he eventually caught up with 'exchange'. What initially looked like a delivery and swap quickly turned as Kakashi observed the two he had been following, completely decimate the second group of five. He stayed quiet as they policed the bodies and retrieved whatever they were after.

It was when they were about to move off that he pounced. Given what he observed he knew they were skilled; however he was much better, coupled with his element of surprise and speed neither had a chance to counter.

With judicious application of Sharingan they went docile. Kakashi swiftly retrieved the identities of the Ninjas they had dispatched and the information they retrieved.

Still, that feeling of dread he carried since he began this mission only continued to grow; Danzo was threat, one he deeply regretted not acting against when it would have been expedient.

His findings led him to this point, hiding in the trees and waiting for the next drop. Hidden below were the two Root Nins he had ambushed, his hypnosis was holding up very well against them thankfully. It won't be long until the deadline hit.

Speaking of which; the air below shimmered as six figures faded into view. His two 'puppets' stiffened until they received stand down confirmation. Without words one of the new arrivals stepped towards them, closing the distance until it was directly in front of them.

Kakashi felt a vague sense of unease. The figure was hooded, making identification impossible; Kakashi watched in growing alarm as the figure slowly panned around and upwards, until it came to a stop, staring directly at his position.

* * *

Adrenaline spiked.

Chakra surged through him and he moved out of harm's way. As he made his descent he spun around and sent a fan of shurikens outward, deterring any chase from above. He turned back to face the charge from below. His forearms came together in guard, just in time to stop a heavy blow. His opponent swung with a second hand, blade in tow, when Kakashi's snapped out in intercept. Lightning chakra danced deceptively immobilising the limb. Kakashi went one further and gave a sharp twist. The bones ripped from their sockets, the muscles strained and tore, rendering the arm completely useless. To his opponents credit there was no cry of pain; Kakashi swept on; he flung the battered limb away and grabbed the Nin's shoulder. He gave a quick jab to the face, stunning him, then while braced on his shoulder and knee he angled their descent unto a low hanging branch.

The sound of the impact was harsh; harsher still was the sound of a spine snapping under the weight of the impact. The Nin couldn't hold back his gasp and Kakashi briefly spied another confirmation of his suspicions.

"So he is still using that old thing" Kakashi mused, even as he felt more of his victims bones snap at the unnatural angle. He kept a firm grip on his neck and continued to eye the seal, "Although it seems to have undergone some changes. That makes this a tad more difficult."

Kakashi jinked to the side, avoiding a blow that would have torn his face open. He cursed as another Nin appeared, poised to stab straight through him. He tossed one hand upwards and let go of the Nin below him and leaned sideways. The body slid round the tree branch and carried on the descent. The two Nins on the attack had to pause and shift their angle but Kakashi was already moving on his offensive.

Kakashi then gave a sharp tug; the air whistled lightly and something glinted sharply in the light as it straightened. One of the Nins in the trees reacted quickly but it wasn't enough. Ninja wire snapped around his arm; his companion wasn't as fortunate and the wire wound around his neck like a noose. At one more tug the wires tightened and sent them airborne; the sudden weight shift had the wires cutting deep into the bound Nins.

The Nin with bound arm thrashed about and came free with a wet snap and a spray of blood. He glanced at his companion and took note of the severe bleeding from the neck; the wire had cut straight through the hood and fastened securely around the neck, with the amount of blood loss it was only a matter of time.

Apparently he wasn't the only one with that conclusion as several shuriken found his heart and head, stilling him forever. The one armed Nin dismissed it as soon as it was done, and turned back to Kakashi's position.

Said Nin landed on the forest floor and quickly worked out his situation.

Two of the enemies had been permanently silenced and one more had a reduced combat capability. That left him with three Nins that were fully capable, including the one who spotted him in the first place.

Speaking of which…

Kakashi panned back to the first figure and the two he hypnotised, only to find it laying them slowly, almost gently to the floor. The two Nins didn't seem able to put up any protest; he could see with his Sharingan that they were free from his hypnosis, but their chakra activity had slowed to such a crawl it was a wonder if they had any higher function left. Also the Nin's chakra was active and set Kakashi on edge. He couldn't get a clear definition on what was actually happening but every time the Root Nins chakra interacted with the other two, there's slowed even more and their body language become more lethargic and docile.

At the rate they were going they would be dead or in a coma in seconds.

The Oto Nin looked up, and even without seeing the eyes Kakashi could feel the weight of appraisal on him; it sent his hairs on end and his chakra surged forwards.

 _Kage Shuriken no Jutsu_

Kakashi snapped into action as a veritable storm of shurikens rained down on his location. He darted passed trees and deflected several with his kunai. The ground below him cracked slightly and he slipped. In an instant one of the Nins pounced. Kakashi' feeble counter was batted away and a tanto blade slipped between his ribs.

Kakashi gasped and the Nin twisted the blade for added damage; then reared back slightly as the Copy-Nin turned a muddy colour.

The ground cracked again. A hand reached up sharply to catch the Nin; however the Oto Nin jumped into the air. Another slid across the floor and grabbed tight on Kakashi's wrist, the other had thrummed violently and he slammed it into the earth. Multiple vibrations travelled through the earth and cracks and fissures appeared across the surface. Trees tilted from the assault on the ground and rocks shattered under the pressure.

The Nin in the air oriented to land feet first on the underside of a tree branch. As soon as he foot touched the branch he heard a subtle sizzle. He just barely pushed off when the branch and most of the tree exploded, sending him and shrapnel flying.

The Nin on the floor stopped his assault and instinctively rolled away. The hand he gripped shifted, turning into the cut off arm of his companion. He tried to rise to his feet, only to take a solid blow to the chest, sending in him crashing back to the floor.

Kakashi attempted to follow up, but aborted as a blade swiped the air in front of him. He jinked right and then backwards as the swipes kept coming. He cursed silently as the other Nin used the opportunity to rise to his feet, and his eyes widened as he took note of the jutsu sequence.

 _Katon: Karyu Endan_

Kakashi tensed as he made every effort to escape the line of fire; a curved earth wall rose in front of Kakashi, just in time to meet the roaring dragon flame. The flames licked over the edges of the wall and Kakashi could feel the stifling heat; the Dragon Flame technique wasn't something one just pulled off, it took strong reserves, intense practice and very good control to maintain the technique.

Root Nins were always very good, and exceptionally subtle. But if they were now able and willing to pull off such high level techniques within Konoha, things were direr than Tsunade anticipated.

Kakashi sped through hands and lightning arced dangerously. He shifted out from behind his barrier and prepared to unleash hell…

A small hand; deceptive and gentle, went over his hands and he stopped cold. The hand then trailed slowly, from his hands to his forearm. All the way passed his elbow, and upwards to his shoulder.

As this happened Kakashi felt like lead, his body couldn't tell how to respond and a fog slowly took root in his mind. He felt calm, relaxed and without care and worry.

He felt terror, like a drowning man, dragged in chains to an unending abyss.

He tried to move his head; never had it felt so heavy. It was the Nin that had stood over his victims; that somehow reduced them to nothing with her touch. It was definitely female, given the rough size and body shape now that she was closer. The hood was still up and Kakashi could feel those eyes upon him, roving over him.

He didn't like it, fear was growing but his body continued to relax under her gentle ministrations.

He, Hatake Kakashi, would be reduced to a slow death; a gentle passing without even a struggle.

 ** _One spark….._**

 ** _Then two….three….four sparks._**

 ** _Then a howl; the sparks grow stronger….and become lightning._**

A rush of adrenaline and chakra surged through him; his mind cleared instantly. He felt two stabs into his flak jacket but fortunately the material managed to turn aside both hits. His hand lit up with lightning chakra and he took a desperate swipe at the female Nin.

Despite his recovery he was still slightly sluggish; he blow was deflected and she spun low; she pulled out a wicked looking blade and with the accuracy and speed of a viper, struck on his lower left side.

The blade sank deep twice. Kakashi hissed and quickly struck at her wrist. She let go and rushed back as he struck at her again.

The one armed Nin rushed for his position but Kakashi was having none of it; the Jonin disappeared in lightning energy and reappeared just right of the Root Nin.

In one smooth motion Kakashi ripped the blade free from his left side and thrust upwards, into the jaw of the Root Nin. He glanced at the other two left; the female had retreated to her companion's side and had her head cocked again.

The other one however had its hands in a seal; Kakashi heard sizzling and looked right at the dead Nin beside him.

Covered in explosive tags.

* * *

 _Target neutralised…._

 _..Yes. Data packet retrieved; possibly compromised._

 _Clean up on route._

Neither Root Nins spoke out, but communication was clear between them. The female Nin kept her gaze on the burning bodies of her one armed companion and Hatake Kakashi. If they were lucky they could retrieve his Sharingan and possibly his remains for analysis.

She took a slight step forwards, when her view was obstructed. She glanced the other Nin; he gave a slight shake and pointed to the sky, peaking from the tree canopy.

Time was not on their side, and they had sensitive data to return to their commander.

She stepped backwards and prepared for a high speed shushin. But then her companion tensed, and looked back at the flames. She too became wary and followed his gaze.

 _Hatake escaped…_

 _Wounded, cannot travel far..._

 _Deliver to Lord Danzo;_

 _Await reinforcements; subdue Copy-Nin. Retrieve Sharingan._

She nodded and disappeared in a flurry of chakra. Her companion moved nodded and retreated deep into the woods. The fallen bodies stayed as they fell; the forest fell silent for a time.

Dawn slowly came; in a nearby tree, birds began singing.

* * *

 _Five Miles away from Fire Temple._

The problem with being a genius was that your mind tended to extrapolate just about every contingency, every variable remotely possible. Mirrors within mirrors; all shifting subtly so the image changes. Chinese whispers to the edge of infinity, so the original message is lost.

Shikamaru couldn't stop his brain even if he tried. It's part of the reason the Nara's made a conscious effort to be lazy; it kept them from plotting the downfall of just about everyone that looked at them funny.

The journey through the trees was fairly quiet. After the summons took their missive, Asuma indicated he knew of an exchange point not far from the Fire Temple and they set off.

Asuma had gone unusually quiet, something that all three members of team ten picked up on. Choji had put away his snacks and kept glancing worriedly over his teacher and Shikamaru. Ino was concentrating, trying to work out the ideal way of spying on their targets once they located them.

"We are coming up to the exchange. Be wary" Asuma cautioned. Shikamaru's mind sharpened and he geared up for the confrontation.

"Ino"

She nodded and took a slow breath. Overhead a bird flew lazy circles; suddenly it seemed to startle, but then moved on. It banked and made a slow descent, in search for prey or rest. It came to a stop near a drab looking building and fluffed its feathers.

Two predators appeared. Through the bird Ino could make out her targets.

"I have confirmation, it is definitely Akatsuki" She murmured to her team.

The bird flapped and moved slightly closer, trying to get a clear view of the two Nins. One of them had white hair, fairly loud and a wicked looking three-bladed scythe. While threatening everything about him read cocky and arrogant, prone to brashness.

The other one however was concealed, covered from head to toe. To Ino this was the one that was most dangerous. She couldn't get a good read on him; he held a briefcase in one hand and took measured steps. There was a confidence that marked him as deadly.

Ino blinked rapidly; her targets had stopped, and both of them were looking right at her, in the direction of the bird with frank appraisal.

Suddenly only the white haired Akatsuki with the scythe stood in view. Ino blinked in shock as she tried to find the other one. The bird's instincts reared up and it squawked in alarm; Ino gasped in surprise and fear, just over the right side the other Akatsuki Nin had his fist reared for blow.

* * *

Kakashi was unaware of the passage of time; more to the point, while he was aware that dawn had broken, it wasn't a concern.

What was of concern was keeping his insides intact, managing the poison slowly driving him to the grave and taking out as many Root Nins as possible, somewhere along those lines he could work out a way to get back to Tsunade-Sama and get patched up.

It had taken a simple mental trigger to shut down one of his kidneys; the duty medics would kick up a fuss but the pain and damage was bothering him and messing with his combat ability.

A kick glanced off his face, sending him stumbling. He let the blow carry him and snapped back with the heel of his left foot. As he regained his footing his right arm snapped up, deflecting a blow while his left caught several shurikens before sending them elsewhere.

His vision blurred severely and for a moment he stalled. His opponents pounced at the perceived weakness and upped their pressure.

Muscle memory and instincts were what carried him forward. Lightning chakra sparked around his limbs and his hair glowed in the dense darkness of the forest; the Root Nins had chosen their location well and despite the daylight the forest and canopies left them with minimal visibility, Kakashi's hair and chakra was the brightest bit of light around.

And said light was starting to grow dim, something he was painfully aware of and his assailants were taking advantage of.

He managed to deflect another blow, and the block an overhead strike with both hands; he realised his error seconds too late, a powerful kick struck him in the stomach and sent him flying backwards. He slammed through one tree and stopped against another.

Kakashi gasped out, trying vainly to suck in air and deal with the pain. He glanced to his left side; the bleeding had started afresh as several splinters dug into his flesh. He threw his head back repeatedly against the tree bark and gave a dark chuckle.

 _Kuchiyose No Jutsu._

Air displaced around him, stopping the Root Nins for a moment.

"Pakkun…." Kakashi gasped out, blood pooling in his face mask.

"…..Ahh. Don't die Kakashi" with a sharp burst of chakra Kakashi's summons darted through the undergrowth and deep into the forest; the little pug growled but sped up as fast as it could.

Several Root Nins immediately broke off to intercept; Kakashi chuckled.

 _Raiton: Raijin Tsuiga (Lighting Release: Lightning Beast Running Technique)_

Lightning chakra crackled wildly and darted in flashes. The Root Nins didn't even get enough time to look as the energy tore through them, piercing deep into their vital organs and frying them. The jutsu seemed to halt for a moment, allowing all to see its glory; a wild hound made entirely of lightning chakra.

The beast howled and was off again; just behind Kakashi moved like a man possessed, keeping hold of the technique and lashing out at any that got close.

 _I am Hatake Kakashi; Student of the Yondaime Hokage and Son of the Legendary White Fang!_

 _You will have no victory here!_

The hound gave a baleful howl and two more seemed to shimmer into existence.

Kakashi could feel his blood boiling under the surface. His nose was bleed profusely and his ear had popped. He was really pushing the boundaries and it was causing severe backlash to his battered body.

Still, no regrets….

 _Soon Otousan, Sensei….Rin…Obito…._

The hounds lunged, but no longer as fluid or coordinated. Still, wherever they struck, they left devastation. Kakashi could only just about keep track; one of the Root Nins darted passed one of the hounds.

As he focused another moved to intercept but it too was easily evaded. Kakashi felt a small sense of dread; this was the Nin with the strange chakra, a chakra that felt like a gentle death.

His fears proved accurate and the Nin spun down his left side, gently running her fingers up his hand as she went by. Immediately his body felt a hundred times heavier and his chakra spluttered. The hounds thrashed wildly before sparking out of existence.

Kakashi couldn't even move as her gentle ministrations sent him deeper under.

 _I guess my luck has finally run out….Gomen Obito…in the end….i couldn't keep it safe._

 _Its cold….so very cold….will you meet me there…Sensei, Rin...Obito?_

 _…_ _..Otousan?_

* * *

 ** _A.N. And chapter done. Someone asked previously about the other characters and their development and i thought now might be a good time to showcase a few of them - the pertinent ones and of course the ones i like the most._**

 ** _Sasuke was the first, and now Kakashi; with Sasuke, as much as i really dislike him and Uchiha's in general ( my regulars are well aware of my bias) he isn't a pushover, so i wanted that sense to really come out in his fight. And I wanted Orochimaru to have more menace to him; i was a tough balance but it seemed to have worked alright. At the moment I would put him about Naruto's level of skill, he is the faster of the two though._**

 _ **Kakashi has needed some TLC - I have never really felt any of the battles he was involved in, especially when you consider his pedigree. Seriously I know he is lazy but it's a bit much. So i tried to bring some of that out, but then realised it's not as easy as it looks. Still, I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out in this instance - the pacing was hard to get right.**_

 ** _Couple of things;_**

 ** _Should Kakashi die? Should Team 10 suffer a casualty? Karin and Suigetsu are still on the chopping block for the moment, although there have been some interesting comments on those 2._**

 _ **Anyways, a writers work is never done and we seem to have more adding to the family - thank you to all the followers, favorites and reviews. I do appreciate the support, comments and critics; the latter when they are positive, or the very least constructive.**_

 ** _See you all in the next chapter_**


	27. Shikamaru - The Frailty of Logic

**_A.N. Hey all, i'm back...sorta_**

 ** _I need to apologise for the extended absence, things in life went a bit crazy, but its mostly good news now for me. I'm gonna try and get back to updating on a regular basis, for now i will not give any definite timescales._**

 _ **This is but a paltry apology to my fans and everyone who enjoys the story, but its all i have to give, I will finish the story, I gave my word on that so I will keep that.**_

 ** _Next chapter I will include the shoutouts and answer any questions up to this point._**

 ** _Sorry for the wait again - hope you enjoy this chapter as i get to work on the others...Onwards To Glory!_**

* * *

 _Aburame Breeding and Research Farm_

The light above a door of one of the self-contained units flashed repeatedly; tell of its current use. A constant buzzing from the various rooms and hive structures echoed around the geo-dome, visitors often couldn't remain for longer than a few minutes, the noise could not be easily blocked out and the subtle vibrations in the air also had varied effects.

For the Aburame's this was not an issue, given the symbiotic relationship with their bugs and insects.

Back in the contained unit, a swarm of Kikaichu fleeted around in their hundreds of thousands. On the moist floor below, ants and various other crawlers skittled about and added to the cacophony. And in the middle of it was a single Aburame Nin, his chakra weaving around him deceptively.

 _Aburame Hijutsu….._

Veins rose and muscles tensed. Beads of sweat shone over his exposed frame and the Kikai swarm grew even more frenzied. Hundreds of them landed on his skin and simply moulted, some burrowing just under the surface.

The Aburame suddenly gasped and lurched forwards on his hands and knees. His heart thudded against his chest and his lungs constricted, trying to draw in air. A loud growl escaped his lips as his frame seemed to bulge and grow sharply; the Kikaichu were in a frenzy all around him.

 _That's enough for now…stop the trials._

The buzzing of the Kikaichu slowed and the chakra activity trickled to a crawl. The Aburame slumped over, completely drained.

"The strain is significant as I suspected. Not all of the Clan can fully utilise this technique" Aburame Shibi commented as several others monitored the health readouts. The Clan Elders observed the proceedings similarly, keen on the results of the trials.

"Still, more than a third have shown affinity for it, they could become proficient in its use. Few of them could even master it fully; it would be an asset to us in future endeavours" One of the Elders piped up musingly. Several veiled eyes turned to the far corner of the observation booth, "Well done young Shino; you are proving to be an able technician of the Clan"

Shino nodded but kept his focus on his clansman, the medics were already seeing to him and working to regress the procedure.

His latest jutsu was much harder on the body than he originally anticipated, but for him it came almost naturally, and he suspected so for a few reasons. Until he had time to check however he wasn't going to fully voice them yet. Still, he was sure that a partial activation was feasible-

"Shino?"

He turned towards his father, his thoughts halting. Even behind the dark shades the incredulous and amused expression was evident. Although personally Shino thought the raised eyebrow was a bit much. His glance traced just behind his father and noted the 'varied' expressions from the Clan Elders; amused and exasperated being the primary emotions.

"Apologies." He said smoothly with a small bow, "I was lost in reflection."

"So we gathered young Shino" an Elder stated dryly. Another nodded and piped up, her voice croaky. "We are very impressed with your work; each year we see some advancement in the Clan Arts, much like the Rinkaichu bugs of your clansmen Torune and his late father Shikuro."

At the name Shino's expressions shifted ever so slightly; to the average ninja nothing changed, to skilled and exceptional shinobi something happened, but they couldn't tell what.

To another Aburame however, especially his father, Shino had gone from quietly respectful, to rebellious, sad and disdainful.

"True…." another Elder trailed in as they tried to understand where this sudden display came from, "You have singlehandedly advanced the Aburame combat skills by at least Five generations."

That had him blinking behind his shades; his father also couldn't avoid displaying his surprise. The Elders amusements seemed to fill the space, despite their passive stances.

"Do not seem so shocked. Each time we achieve any breakthrough or advancement only one or two ever manage to utilise it _at best_ " the elders tone stressing the point while others nodded, "It takes another three generations before a portion of the Clan can utilise it, and still more before it's more prevalent than rare. There are a number of clan secrets; rarer than even the Nano-scale bugs Torune uses that no living Aburame can yet decipher, let alone use. Such secrets we fear will be lost to us altogether."

Shibi cocked his head and nodded slowly, he was all too familiar as the Clan Head.

"The Jutsus you have created however are extremely versatile and powerful, but more importantly Shino, they are accessible. Already we have received multiple reports from clansmen who utilised the new breed of silk worms and your armament jutsu; all have given positive reports and noted improved efficiency of their Kikaichu all around. Some have even managed to create unique armour and weapon designs. Aburame Sayaka is proving to follow close in your footsteps, her praying mantis blades are a product of adapting your original jutsu."

Shino nodded again at the praise, but his eyes kept trailing back to the observation room. An Elder noted this and stepped closer.

"Worry not; you have already set the template, let the clansmen work out the issues from here. Be proud of what you have accomplished."

"It isn't that," Shino stated as he shook his head. He stepped closer to the glass and several of his Kikaichu fleeted around him; on closer inspection several of them had subtly different markings, but all were the same size.

"I am beginning to suspect the issue with some is the particular type of insect they are using; based on how quickly the jutsu took hold in all trial cases that suggests each one is compatible, and I suspect that would be so for all Aburame if tested. That being said-"Shino glanced again at the Elders and his father, "There is a stark difference between the _Arctia caja_ and the _Lucanidae_ , and even more than people realise between orders such as _Bostrichiformia_ and _Cucujiformia_."

Everyone paused at the statement; Shino could sense the scrutiny of his words based on the pheromone trails, even as he continued to muse on the point. More than one glances lingered on him and the observation booth.

"And here I thought things would be simple," the croaky Elder snorted, however her tone was coloured by excitement. "You are certainly not lacking for ambition Aburame Shino." Others murmured in agreement.

"With time, I am confident that anyone could utilise this jutsu at its base. It would give the Clan time to adapt. For the best results however," Shino suddenly grinned and his Kikaichu buzzed in a frenzy.

"That is where things get _interesting…._ "

* * *

 _Minutes earlier…._

"Scatter!" came the call from Ino and Asuma. All members of Team Ten blitzed away from the blow; the force splintered the tree and sent the top half crashing to the ground below. Seconds later they reappeared on the main roadway; followed swiftly by both Akatsuki Nins.

"These are our little tag-alongs?" the query from the white hair Akatsuki Nin was full of disgust. He reached to his back and pulled free a wicked looking scythe, with three blades as opposed to one. His companions features were more conceal, with only the skin around his eyes visible; the eyes themselves covered by some kind of lens.

"Konohagakure Team Ten; Chunins Akimichi Choji, Yamanaka Ino, Chunin Commander Nara Shikamaru…Team Leader Sarutobi Asuma; former twelve guardian and bounty much higher than Chiriku, his former companion"

Hidan raised and appraising eyebrow and then scoffed again as he rested the giant blade on his shoulder.

"There you go again Kakuzu, with your sacrilegious words and blasphemy. Lord Jashin doesn't care for your vice and love of money."

"Akatsuki does however; and it is those funds that make our efforts possible. Something you are often quick to forget Hidan" Kakuzu countered and he rested his briefcase over his shoulder. Hidan made as if he didn't hear him.

"All Lord Jashin commands is that his faithful smite down the infidels and unworthy. Their blood and their lives a tribute to his might." Hidan's eyes lit up with a frenzy and his stance shifted. As one Team Ten moved, ready for the onslaught.

"Choji, you're with me," Asuma rumbled in low tones. The Akimichi nodded once and steeled himself. Neither side seemed to move.

A wild screech sounded from Hidan as he rushed forwards. His arm cocked and the scythe glinted in the midday sun. Asuma tensed and prepared to counter. Suddenly Choji jinked forwards, moving as low as his bulk allowed. The scythe met his arm with a sharp sound, and the blades scraped over armoured plates.

Hidan cursed as he tried to pull back for another blow. Movement traced on the edge of his vision and he flinched left instinctively. An elbow jabbed deep into his stomach and he doubled over, another blow struck his chin throwing his head backwards. Hidan bit back as snarl as he tasted blood on his lips; quickly he reasserted himself and gave a wide sweep with his scythe forcing his assailant back. Choji slid across the ground, just beneath the scythe and cocked his arms back, chakra brimming around them.

 _Baika No Jutsu._

Hidan's eyes popped out as two massive palms slammed into his midsection with unrelenting force. The shock took all the breath out of him and he went crashing into the trees.

Choji straightened and his arms regained their normal size, beside him Asuma stood tense with his trench knives humming with wind chakra. The Jonin kept a cold gaze on the tree line, ever so often glancing at Kakuzu's position for any sign of action. The Jonin took a deep drag of his cigarette, draining more than half of it.

Trees seemed to burst apart as Hidan charged out again, murder gleaming in his eyes.

 _Katon: Haisekisho No Jutsu (Burning Ash Jutsu)_

Asuma's chakra spiked and he exhaled, blowing out a dense dark cloud of particulates right at Hidan. The Akatsuki Nin stopped and brought one hand up to conceal his face as the cloud overtook his position. The wind shifted slightly, picking up the dust particles and moving them away.

Asuma hissed in irritation and clashed his teeth. With a little spark, and a lot of chakra, the cloud went off in flames. Choji leaned back from the heat and used his arm to cover his face.

Meanwhile further back Shikamaru kept a critical gaze on the battlefield, his mind churning through strategies with every synapse. Ino stood tense just behind him, her hands tracing through several Genjutsus. Asuma gave a slight look backwards with a nod.

That was his mistake; Shikamaru's eyes widened and he called out a sharp warning.

Through the flames Hidan practically flew out. His left side was badly burned and half his robes in tatters, once there had been raw rage but now his face was stone cold and deadly serious. The bottom of his scythe clicked audibly and a spike with retractable cable shot out. He grabbed the end and flicked it in Choji's direction. The Akimichi instinctively brought his gauntlet arm up and deflected the spike, only for Hidan to come in low. With a quick spin his leg shot out, catching Choji on the side and sending the large Nin flying and gasping for breath.

"Choji" Asuma only had enough time to call out as Hidan set upon him like a man possessed. The last Sarutobi was hard pressed as Hidan began a flurry of attacks, sweeping gashes with his scythe, interspaces with blows from the handle and jabs from the spike. Asuma kept an admirable defence, deflecting the blows as they began, but never able to score a critical hit.

Asuma deflected a particularly harrowing attack but cursed his mistake. Hidan smirked as his follow up brought him closer to the Konoha Nin; with his spike firm in hand he thrust forwards to the Jonin's exposed side.

 _Kagemane No Jutsu, Success!_

Both Asuma and Hidan stopped short. Shikamaru took a deep breath as his jutsu took hold and kept both combatants. Hidden from view he felt Ino jab him in the side, moments later his chakra spiked. He gave a discreet tap as thanks and planned for their next move.

"Oi Kakuzu!" Hidan finally snarled out as he continued to struggle against the invisible grip. "Are you just gonna stand there or what?! These heathens are mocking Lord Jashin!"

Kakuzu however sat on a boulder with his elbows on his knees and the briefcase between his legs. He cocked his head to the side as he considered his teammate.

"I pray to no god Hidan, least of all yours." He ignored the vitriol filled response from his partner, and then slowly rose to his feet. "That said, a bounty on a former temple guardian is something I cannot not let wander away."

Split second later he was on Asuma. He gave a sharp blow to the kidneys and another to the leg. Shikamaru flinched at the suddenness of the attack, but gave way quickly to alarm as Kakuzu's presence appeared behind him. He broke off his jutsu but was a split second too late; Kakuzu gave a vicious backhand to Ino, the Kunoichi mounted a hasty defence but the blow sent her sprawling away with a cry of pain. A fist then loomed towards Shikamaru; his shadow rushed out and caught Kakuzu, blunting much of the force, but the blow still managed to connect. His jutsu broke immediately and a follow up blow had him spinning to the ground. As he fell he caught sight of the battle between Asuma and Hidan. His sensei wasn't a Jonin for nothing and kept up a staunch defence. That said however, the blows from Kakuzu and the ferocity of Hidan's attacks were taking its toll.

Ino was currently out, he was on the ground and Asuma wasn't going to last much longer from the way he was grimacing.

Shikamaru rolled away from a blow that cratered the ground, somehow managing to keep his eyes on his sensei. His heart filled with dread as Hidan broke through Asuma's defences and the scythe sang eerily close for the man's neck.

A heavy grinding noise came from his right, interspaced with loud thuds and shaking earth. Kakuzu darted left, avoiding being blindsided by a large serrated ball that would have sheared his limbs off.

 _Baika No Jutsu!_

The large ball opened out revealing Choji, the plump ninja full of rage. Chakra surged rapidly and his arms grew out in massive proportions. One launched a heavy blow at Kakuzu, while the other stretched to cover Asuma and swat Hidan.

 _Please be on time!_

A meaty thud resounded on one end; a sharp slice and spray of blood on the other.

Choji gritted his teeth as he remained firm. He glanced first at Kakuzu; the large silent Nin casually held out against his giant fist with only one hand. Choji kept his gaze until he was sure Shikamaru had moved away. His arm bulged and pushed against Kakuzu; the Akatsuki Nin looked on mildly impressed at the overwhelming strength brought to bear against him.

Choji to his eyes of the silent Nin and focused on Hidan. The crazy scythe wielder looked on in irritation and glee as his scythe found purchase; perhaps not on the target as he hoped, but on something nonetheless.

Asuma pushed up to his feet as Hidan pulled on his scythe with a flourish, Choji grimaced as the wound deepened and blood poured freely. Despite the pain the Akimichi gave a strong backhand, connecting hard into Hidan and knocking him several paces back.

"Choji!" Ino's voice came out weakly. She slowly rose to her feet as she shook the cobwebs from her eyes. He broke of immediately from Kakuzu and landed beside her.

"Are you okay Ino?" Choji's voice was unusually stern as he kept a wary eye on Kakuzu. Asuma too pulled back and Shikamaru shushined beside them.

"I'm fine," She nodded as her palm pulsed with healing chakra. Choji tensed a moment then relaxed as the healing jutsu went to work, closing up the wound.

Hidan chuckled darkly, drawing attention to his position.

"Scurrying away so quickly. So pitiful don't you think Kakuzu?" Team ten looked on repulsed as the deranged Nin licked the blood of his scythe. Chakra pulsed menacingly and his skin turned pitch black, with bone white markings and lines tracing all over the exposed surface. While team ten looked on repulsed Shikamaru's eyes traced the patterns and surroundings in seconds.

He noted the markings in a bloody trail, right below Hidan's feet, leaving him in the centre.

"Soon," Hidan crowed out with dark relish as he brandished his scythe, "-soon you will know the truth that is Jashin!"

"You talk too much!" Asuma growled out as he brandished his trench knives. Chakra hummed ominously and the edges sharpened and extended with wind chakra. He took one threatening step towards Hidan and his chakra spiked.

* * *

As all this happened Shikamaru's stomach sank deeper into the pit; something was off, he knew that in his very bones that something was very wrong.

It wasn't logic, or reason or rationality.

It was just _belief…blind instinct._

Hidan was too self-assured; something had changed from the cock-sure attitude and erratic fighting style. Plus, the markings on his body and the symbol on the floor….

No, something was very different, and if he was honest it was very dangerous.

Shikamaru's fears spiked as Asuma charged into Hidan. The world faded around him, every ounce of his formidable intellect analysed every step, every sway; every microscopic signal of intent.

Asuma was moving low and quick, his guard relatively up. He was moving to disable Hidan, at this point possibly killing him if he proved too difficult.

Hidan though….while his guard looked in place, everything about it was off. His stance, his behaviour, even the little tells; the more Shikamaru looked, the more wrongly they all stood out.

Asuma shifted; the distance was halved, his arm came up for the first blow.

Shikamaru's chest thundered, a part of him briefly marvelled at the strange pain like sensation. The rest of him however focused on Hidan; just what was he really missing…..?!

 _There!_

The gleam in the Akatsuki Nins eyes, the malice and relish. The slight shifting and widening of his arms; to a lesser person it looked like he was preparing a series of counters to Asuma's charge.

To Shikamaru it screamed foul play. No, everything about that stance said the Nin _wanted_ Asuma to close in; he wanted Asuma to attack, he was waiting not so patiently for the Jonin to strike.

Asuma was going to score a blow on Hidan….and the mad Nin _wanted it,_ was _waiting_ , for it to happen….why?

Again his instincts screamed at him to take action; he didn't hesitate.

* * *

Asuma wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and truth be told taking on both Akatsuki Nins wasn't going as smoothly as he had originally hoped. The best call now was to disable one of them and focus on the other.

His target had been selected for him and Asuma was sure that his arrogance was going to cost him dearly. He rapidly took in the multiple openings available and planned accordingly; Hidan's stance was rigid, he wasn't going to be moving far, however that could play to his advantage.

Asuma's trench knives glinted in the sun, and chakra hummed loudly as the distance finally closed.

Hidan moved an arm lazily, a smirk on his face; Asuma scoffed as he already began his counter.

Hidan's smirk turned to shock; Asuma's scoff turned to a smirk.

Hidan's shock gave way to panic; Asuma's smirk gave way to confusion.

Hidan's body bent painfully back and to the right. His hand shifted course and deflected one of Asuma's strikes; the Jonin instinctively lashed out with his other hand, scoring a deep wound over the arm, taking off half of two fingers, and scoring another wound in his thigh.

Both Hidan and Asuma continued to move in a state of shock; Asuma glanced over to his team, and his eyes fell straight on Shikamaru.

The moment lasted barely a second, but it was enough.

Asuma spun round smoothly; instead of pressing his attack he pulled back and brought his arms up, crossed in defence, and then waited.

* * *

Shikamaru sighed with relief and a little disappointment. His back stung lightly as it brushed against the floor but he kept his eyes focused on Asuma and Hidan.

It was just fortunate the Akatsuki Nin had been so fixated; his shadow jutsu hadn't been very subtle, and even then he suspected the Nin would have been reluctant to move from his spot.

Shikamaru gave a quick glance to the bloody symbol below Hidan and then trailed his eyes back up; his attention kept darting between Hidan and Asuma, a tense anticipation flooding his veins. The scowl and vicious glare that grew on the Akatsuki Nin only served to heighten this feeling; clearly _something_ should have happened, he had wanted to get hit and Shikamaru had denied the opportunity. Based on what they had observed on his personality, Shikamaru had no doubt he would give away his intentions and the significance of his jutsu

"Choji!"

The scream from behind stopped him cold.

* * *

Choji blinked numbly; beside him Ino screamed out but he was only aware peripherally. His knee touched the ground from when his leg gave out on him, and his hand felt funny.

He blinked again. The pain in his leg was growing and the steady pool of blood was distracting. He moved his hand to cover the wound, only to stop short as he noted again the missing digits of his hand. Glancing just past he spotted them on the floor, lying innocently.

"Choji," Ino gasped out as she knelt quickly beside him, fear and panic growing, even as she diligently tried to stem the blood loss.

Air displaced rapidly around them; the sound of bodies colliding drew lazily on Choji's attention, and he looked up to see Asuma locked against the second Akatsuki Nin, Kakuzu.

"Hidan, finish your games. The bounty on the Fire Guardian takes precedence." Kakuzu's monotone rolled out, even as he and Asuma pushed against each other.

Choji blinked and turned back to Hidan. As he did his gaze passed over Shikamaru, his best friend.

The horror and worry on his face didn't sit well with Choji. The Akimichi tried to stand but the wound had been deep, Ino protested as she kept him still and continued with the Medical Jutsu.

Still, on the minds of Team Ten, one question rang out.

 _What in Kami's Grace happened?_

Shikamaru's felt his heart unclench slightly, allowing his mind to take control once again. Choji had been hanging back, he wasn't engaging and Kakuzu hadn't made any moves to attack until Asuma.

His eyes trailed down to the wound Ino desperately tried to close, slowing the blood loss as well.

The wound matched exactly to the one Asuma scored against Hidan…..

His eyes chased his friend's hand, and spotted the missing fingers …..

Never had his mind felt so slow, how did Choji get the same wounds Asuma had done to Hidan?

The mad cackle from the Akatsuki Nin drew Shikamaru's attention back.

"This feeling," Hidan called out with relish, "sweeter than the embrace of a lover; to hold the power of life over another…"

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, his dread spiking at the insane expression on Hidan's face.

Said Akatsuki Nin brandished his spike again and gave a wicked leer.

"Know the truth of your frailty," Hidan screamed as he rammed the spike deep into his side, shocking all onlookers. "Know the futility of your existence and find agony in Lord Jashin's embrace."

Behind him Choji cried out, in rage and in pain. Shikamaru quickly looked back, all fighting ceased as everyone took stock.

Choji was breathing hard as he held his side; his red outfit stained darker with every passing moment and the pain was excruciating. He coughed suddenly and blood flowed freely from his mouth.

"That boy doesn't have long anymore," Asuma turned to Kakuzu, lips gritted tight. The Akatsuki Nin ignored the angry wave of chakra coming off his opponent as he took stock of matters.

"That wound just now; the damage to the liver must be quite significant, without proper treatment he has hours at best. Hidan has always displayed the sadistic streak." Kakuzu turned back to Asuma and continued in his calm bland monotone. "It is unfortunate for him and for you; your bounty is all I am interested in, and his life was forfeit the moment he stepped in to cover yours."

Asuma blitzed forwards, the wind blades on his trench knives humming loudly in his fury. Kakuzu shifted and stayed alert, unimpressed at the display

 _Accept the inevitable; none of you will leave this place._

* * *

 _To the average civilian, the jutsus of the ninja are mystical, not for the understanding of the ordinary man. To most ninja, jutsus are additional tools in their arsenal, with its unique structures and rules that govern their effect – many do not fully understand the hows or whys, suffice it to say, they are only concerned that it does._

* * *

Choji focused on his shinobi training, slowing his pounding heart and keeping his body and emotions calm. Ino was visibly struggling with the chakra drain and she could do little more than stem the damage to his liver.

Still, what she had done was plenty enough; she gave him time.

"Ino, conserve your chakra," Choji ignored her sharp look, his voice kept low so as not to carry over. He slipped a small pouch of speciality soldier pills to her and pulled another free. He heard her gasp and knew she had seen them.

"Choji!" she hissed out, trying to stop him. "You can't use that! Not with this much damage, you could-"

"Ino," came the sharp retort. Her concern stilled in her lips, her shoulders shook lightly.

"Shika won't be able to fight him, not the way he is now, and Asuma-Sensei can't make it past the other one," Choji whispered grimly as he opened the pill container. He pulled one free and promptly bit down.

The Akimichi body expansion techniques were infamous, creating giants from men; it was also understood that it required a ridiculous amount of energy to sustain, which is why the Akimichi's were often of the 'Big Boned' variety; an Akimichi of lesser constitution would not have been able to sustain the jutsu and promptly been incapacitated or permanently damaged

Over generations, their bodies had grown accustom to the demands of their techniques and lifestyle, much like those of bloodline limits, and thanks to this rigorous and demanding skillset, the Akimichi's often had skilled anatomists and dietitians every few generations. A basic understanding of the ninja's physiology and capabilities, as well as a foundation of their special jutsus served as the building blocks to the clan's young; from there each one was encouraged to grow as they saw fit, however that knowledge often put them ahead of their peers in some aspects.

Choji knew, from the moment the pain hit how bad the damage was, and what would happen if he didn't receive proper care. While the leg wound was irritating, the liver damage was incapacitating, and could prevent him from fighting.

Slowly he breathed out and focused his rapidly growing chakra around his side and palm. What he was about to do didn't really have a name; it was a temporary measure at best and more patchwork than anything else, much like a tourniquet.

It was also very dangerous, like a tourniquet.

Choji hissed as he felt his side tighten, almost bloated. The blood flow stopped immediately and all sensation around that are went numb. He moved his hand and clawed over the wounded leg. The muscles tightened and veins came out in stark relief as the wound forcefully closed.

He looked at Ino and gave a slight nod. She bit her lip and grimaced, but nodded in return. Choji then turned his focus back to Shikamaru; his best friend and thankfully Hidan were too focused on each other to pay much attention to what was happening behind them.

From the looks of things Shikamaru was well on his way to losing his temper and composure. Choji's eyes widened as Shikamaru fished out a set of fuinjutsu tags.

Choji tensed and remained alert for his opening.

Hidan shifted and his eyes closed, Shikamaru prepared to move low; Choji's chakra spiked.

And then he pounced.

* * *

A motivated Nara is a dangerous Nara; so the saying goes.

Shikamaru's team was in a dangerous bind. Choji had taken a mortal wound if left for too long, Asuma was fighting for his very life, and they were up against an insane but functional immortal cultist.

Shikamaru was very motivated, and very pissed off.

His hand snapped out with several fuinjutsu tags, multiple strategies building and reorganising in seconds; the fear and anxiousness bled out of his face, leaving cold and ruthless logic.

"Save your empty fury Konoha trash," Hidan sneered, decidedly unimpressed, "In the end Lord Jashin will claim all of you into his embrace. And besides, what could you possibly do to me now?" His tone grew mocking as he spread his arms out.

"For a start, remove you from your symbol, then slowly bleed you dry. If that isn't enough more aggressive methods will be considered."

Hidan blinked at the flat statement and took a deeper look at Shikamaru.

"Well, it seems you are not all spineless tree huggers, but there is not enough fear in you; that will simply not do."

Hidan made to strike again and Shikamaru ready for his assault.

Only for Choji to charge passed him.

 _Don't waste this chance Shika….._

Shikamaru blinked as Choji's fist lit up with chakra. Hidan snarled at the sudden move and tried to stab himself; Choji remained relentless and dove into the Akatsuki Nin.

Shikamaru watched as his best friend crashed into Hidan, with his bulk alone Choji was a force to be reckoned with, coupled with the speed he had been moving at and the blow Hidan had no way of maintain his positon. Choji seemed to also recoil as if dealt a hard blow, and he awkwardly fell alongside Hidan.

Shikamaru quickly brandished his Fuinjutsu tags and pulsed his chakra. Immediately four of the tags began glowing. He flicked his wrist and set them loose; two of the tags seemed to straddle the tree line while the others hovered mid-air. The tags seemed to fade, leaving only the seal script in stark relief. Slowly the light in the visible spectrum seemed to sharpen, casting deep shadows everywhere.

 _Kagemane No Jutsu…._

Shikamaru's shadow seemed to come alive and rose up behind him. It shivered and split into multiple branches, each one shot out to the larger shadows cast around, creating a vast mass of inky blackness.

As the visible light continued to shine eerily the shadows seemed to gain genuine substance; Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, and the tendrils shot forwards. Several struck against the ritual symbol Hidan made on the ground but had no real effect. The others grabbed at Hidan and jerked him upright.

Shikamaru breathed and went absolutely still.

There visible for all to see was Hidan's spike, sticking out the left side of his chest; right where his heart should be.

Shikamaru glanced at his best friend's body, lying motionless on the floor and he went numb.

At the barest sound of Hidan's cackling, Shikamaru jerked his hands; immediately the shadows pulled and ripped his opponent's arms off. Several more stabbed through the incapacitated Nin and a final shadowed figure rose up, it formed a sharp long blade and thrust through Hidan's neck.

Shikamaru felt nothing as he watched the head roll aimlessly on the floor. He turned back to Choji and made to move, only for Asuma to appear beside him, bruised and harried but still able to fight.

"One down. I need you to focus Shika; we can still capture one of them at least, none of this would have been in vain."

The only indication he heard were the shadows, shifting and moving against Kakuzu; said Nin stood nonchalant, eyeing what he could of the seals and the shadows around.

"Impressive, it is a shame you have very little value. My interests are with Sarutobi Asuma," Kakuzu took a step forwards, and team ten readied themselves again.

Only for a voice to call out, shocking them once again.

"Kakuzu! Don't you dare kill that insect! Lord Jashin demands his life, his tale will be one of such agony and fear even hell itself would tremble"

Hidan's head seemed to quiver as he frothed his glare so poison as if willing them to rot on the spot.

"Fix me! Fix me now Kakuzu! Lord Jashin demands their life and I swear I will deliver it!"

Shadows coalesced around Hidan; seconds later they dispersed, revealing a head with no eyes or tongue.

"Now that is over with," Shikamaru's voice was arctic. "Shall we continue?"


End file.
